In situ ligand formation in the synthesis of an octanuclear dysprosium 'double cubane' cluster displaying single molecule magnet features.

The nucleophilic addition of methanol and water to the dicyanonitrosomethanide anion, resulting in the formation of cyano(imino(methoxy)methyl)nitrosomethanide (cmnm) and carbamoylcyanonitrosomethanide (ccnm), respectively, is used as a means of in situ ligand synthesis during the formation of [Dy(8)(OH)(6)(OMe)(6)(cmnm)(10)(ccnm)(2)(H(2)O)(2)(MeOH)(2)] (1). This is the first time these reactions have been observed to be promoted by the presence of a lanthanoid ion. The core of the octanuclear cluster consists of two cubane moieties ([Dy(4)(OH)(3)(OMe)]), bridged by four methoxide ligands to form a central [Dy(8)(OH)(6)(OMe)(6)] moiety. The complex displays magnetic properties that are indicative of probable single molecule magnet features.