Introducing new polydentate oxime ligands into design of Single Molecular Magnets

• Applicant: Dr. Malgorzata Holynska
• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2014 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 250692075

Single Molecular Magnets (SMMs) are molecules behaving as tiny magnets that could find application in very high-density data storage. SMM behavior is observed under still low blocking temperatures. Also the energy barrier separating states of SMMs has to be increased. It was shown that these parameters are highly influenced by the overall magnetic anisotropy of the system, which needs to possess axial symmetry. Following this observation, we propose a new strategy in the design of SMMs by introducing tridentate oxime ligands. Three classes of such ligands are designed with oxime group able to act as an efficient linker between different metal ions. We show that the ligands can be used to form magnetically-anisotropic metal complexes with controllable structural motifs. Further aggregation in reaction with selected reagents should lead to materials with even more attractive magnetic properties. The products will be characterized with respect to structure (X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy) and magnetic behavior (SQUID magnetometry). Observation of enhanced SMM properties, as well as gaining new general insights into the SMM phenomenon, are expected.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants