Syntheses, structures, and properties of a series of novel high-nuclear 3d-4f clusters with mixed amino acids as ligands: {Ln6Cu24}(Ln = Gd, Tb, Pr and Sm).

The first examples of high-nuclear 3d-4f heterometallic clusters with mixed amino acid ligands are reported. Four 30-nuclear clusters {Ln6Cu24}(Ln = Gd, Tb, Pr and Sm) were obtained through the self-assembly of Ln(III), Cu(II) and mixed amino acid ligands of glycine (HGly) and β-alanine (HAla). The metal skeleton of clusters may be described as a huge {Ln6Cu12} octahedron connected with 12 additional Cu(II) ions. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibilities of compounds were also studied.