A new ferrimagnet based on a radical-substituted radical cation salt.

Radical-substituted radical cations are attractive spin building blocks of molecule-based magnets. The introduction of an additional spin as a counteranion provides a unique three-spin system wherein the magnetic interactions between the spins of the radical substituent and the radical cation (J(intra)) and those between the spins of the radical cation and the anion (J(inter)) play decisive roles in determining the magnetic properties of the system. We report the first demonstration of a ferrimagnet by utilizing a large-J(intra) system, nitronyl nitroxide-substituted dihydrophenazine radical cation (NNDPP(+)) in combination with tetrabromoferrate (FeBr(4)(-)) as the counteranion. On the basis of measurements of dc and ac magnetic susceptibilities and heat capacity, the magnetic properties of NNDPP(+) x FeBr(4)(-) are elucidated to be those of a three-dimensional long-range-ordered ferrimagnet with T(c) = 6.7 K.