A new family of Ni4 and Ni6 aggregates from the self-assembly of [Ni2] building units: role of carboxylate and carbonate bridges.

Carboxylato (R = (t)Bu and Et) and carbonato bridges have been utilized for nickel(II)-based aggregates Ni4(μ-H2L)2(μ3-OH)2(μ1,3-O2CBu(t))22·H2O·2DMF (1·H2O·2DMF), Ni4(μ-(hy)HL)2(μ3-OMe)2(μ1,1-N3)2(μ1,3-O2CEt)2]·4H2O (2·4H2O), and Ni6(μ4-L)(μ3-L)2(μ6-CO3)(H2O)8](ClO4)·9H2O (3·9H2O). Building blocks Ni2(μ-H2L), Ni2(μ-(hy)HL), and Ni2(μ-L) originating from Ni2(μ-H2L) have been trapped in these complexes. The complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, magnetic measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) analysis. In 1, the magnetic interactions are transmitted through the μ3-phenoxido/μ3-hydroxido/syn-syn-(t)BuCO2(-), μ3-phenoxido/μ3- hydroxido, and double μ3-phenoxido/double μ3-hydroxido bridges with J = +11.4 cm(-1), J1 = -2.1 cm(-1), and J2 = -2.8 cm(-1), respectively. In 2, the interactions are ferromagnetic, with J1 = +27.5 cm(-1), J2 = +20.62 cm(-1), and J3 = +1.52 cm(-1) describing the magnetic couplings through the μ-phenoxidoo/μ3-methoxido, μ-azido/μ3-methoxido, and μ3-methoxido/μ3-methoxido exchange pathways, respectively. Complex 3 gives J1 = -3.30 cm(-1), J2 = +1.7 cm(-1), and J3 = -12.8 cm(-1) for exchange pathways mediated by μ-phenoxido/μ-carbonato, μ-alkoxido/μ-alkooxido/μ-syn-syn-carbonato, and the μ-phenoxido/μ-carbonato, respectively. Interestingly, 1 and 3 below 20 K and 35 K, respectively, show an abrupt increase of the χMT product to reach a magnetic-field-dependent maximum, which is associated with a slightly frequency-dependent out-of-phase alternating-current peak. DFT calculations have also been performed on 1-3 to explain the exchange interaction mechanisms and to support the magnitude and sign of the magnetic coupling constants between the Ni(II) ions.