A low-dimensional molecular spin system with two steps of magnetic transitions and liquid crystal property
作者:Hai-Bao Duan、Xiao-Ming Ren、Lin-Jiang Shen、Wan-Qin Jin、Qing-Jin Meng、Zheng-Fang Tian、Shi-Ming Zhou
DOI:10.1039/c0dt01704c
日期:——
A low-dimensional compound [C6-Apy][Ni(mnt)2] (1, where mnt2− = maleonitriledithiolate, C6-Apy+ = 4-amino-1-hexylpyridinium) has been designed and synthesized, which has layer arrangement of anions and cations and shows two steps of magnetic transitions. The low temperature magnetic transition has an uncommon hysteresis loop, while the crystal structure investigations disclosed no structural transition with the magnetic transition. The high temperature magnetic transition exhibits two remarkable features: (1) it synchronously occurs with a crystalline-to-mesophase transition in the first heating process and (2) the structural changes that accompany the solid-mesophase transition are irreversible. A diamagnetic and isostructural compound, [C6-Apy][Cu(mnt)2], is further characterized by structure, DSC and POM techniques, which revealed also the existence of an irreversible crystalline-to-mesophase transition in the same temperature interval of [C6-Apy][Ni(mnt)2]. Therefore, the high-temperature magnetic transition in 1 is driven by release of the structural strains, but not magnetoelastic interactions. The mesophase exhibits the characteristic of smectic A phase, and the alkyl chain melting in the cation layers probably lead to the formation of mesophase. It is noticeable that the finding of a mesophase occurring in a hexyl hydrocarbon chain molecular system is in contrast to a suggested rule that at least a dodecyl chain is required. Our results will shed a light on the design and preparation of a new low-dimensional molecular system combining magnetic transition and liquid crystal properties.
我们设计并合成了一种低维化合物[C6-Apy][Ni(mnt)2](1,其中 mnt2- = 马来硝基二硫酸盐,C6-Apy+ = 4-氨基-1-己基吡啶鎓),它具有阴阳离子层状排列,并显示出两步磁转变。低温磁转变具有一个不常见的滞后环,而晶体结构研究表明,磁转变并没有带来结构转变。高温磁转变有两个显著特点:(1) 在第一次加热过程中,它与晶体到介相的转变同步发生;(2) 伴随固相-介相转变的结构变化是不可逆的。通过结构、DSC 和 POM 技术进一步表征了[C6-Apy][Cu(mnt)2]这种双磁性等结构化合物,结果表明在[C6-Apy][Ni(mnt)2]的相同温度区间内也存在不可逆的晶体到非晶相转变。因此,1 中的高温磁转变是由结构应变释放驱动的,而不是磁弹性相互作用。介相显示了共晶 A 相的特征,阳离子层中的烷基链熔化可能导致了介相的形成。值得注意的是,在己基烃链分子体系中出现介相的发现与至少需要十二烷基链的建议规则相反。我们的研究结果将有助于设计和制备兼具磁转变和液晶特性的新型低维分子体系。