Chiral molecular 4f qubits by post functionalization.

We herein demonstrate the synthesis of a pair of enantiomerically pure Yb complexes by post-functionalisation of the parent Yb complex condensation with an enantiomerically pure chiral amine. The enantiomeric pair is structurally characterised by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, showing that it crystalises in the 222 Sohncke space group with Flack parameters close to zero, which confirms their enantiopurity. Circular Dichroism (CD) and absorption spectroscopies in the NIR reveal sharp F → F f-f transitions, with values up to 0.07, indicating a chiral environment for the ytterbium centre. Furthermore, a dynamic mechanism with mixing of ligand states is shown to contribute to the CD intensity. X-band pulse Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy, on a magnetically dilute single crystal containing 1% of Yb complexes within the isostructural Y diamagnetic host, reveals a phase memory time, , of the electronic spin of 600 ns and that it can be coherently manipulated by microwave pulses, as evidenced by Rabi nutations.