Two Consecutive Magneto-Structural Gas-Solid Transformations with Single-Crystal Retention in Non-Porous Molecular Materials

Abstract

Modification of the magnetic properties in a solid-state material upon external stimulus has attracted much attention in the recent years for their potential applications as switches and sensors. Within the field of coordination polymers, gas sorption studies typically focus on porous solids, with the gas molecules accommodating in the channels. Here we present a 1D non-porous coordination polymer capable of incorporating HCl gas molecules, which not only causes a reordering of its atoms in the solid state but also provokes dramatic changes in the magnetic behaviour. Subsequently, a further solid-gas transformation can occur with the extrusion of HCl gas molecules causing a second structural rearrangement which is also accompanied by modification in the magnetic path between the metal centres. Unequivocal evidence of the two-step magnetostructural transformation is provided by X-ray single-crystal diffraction.

Selective signalling of alcohols by a molecular lattice and mechanism of single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations

“…[22][23][24][25][26][27][28] This requires a mechanism to signal the detection upon incorporation of the analyte by the lattice, such as a change to the optical or magnetic properties. 25,[29][30][31][32][33] The well-known phenomenon of spin crossover (SCO) would be ideal to implement this function. [34][35][36][37] It involves a reversible transition by certain d-block metal ions between two accessible electronic (and spin) states triggered by an external stimulus such as temperature or pressure changes.…”