Slow Magnetic Relaxation in a Co2Dy Trimer and a Co2Dy2 Tetramer

The combination of Co(III) and Dy(III) with a compartmental Schiff base ligand (H 3 L = 3-[(2-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzylidene)-amino]-propane-1,2-diol), presenting three different coordinating pockets, has allowed the synthesis of two novel Co(III)-Dy(III) complexes: [Co 2 Dy(HL) 4 ]NO 3 ·2CH 3 CN ( 1 ), a rare example of trinuclear linear Co III 2 Dy III complex (and the first with slow relaxation of magnetization in absence of a DC field) and [Co 2 Dy 2 (μ 3 -OH) 2 (HL) 2 (OAc) 6 ]·4.6H 2 O ( 2 ), the first tetranuclear Co III 2 Dy III 2 cluster with a rhomb-like structure where the Co(III) ions are connected along the short diagonal of the rhomb. 1 presents two different relaxation processes: a fast relaxation dominated by Quantum tunnelling (QT) and a slow relaxation with an energy barrier of 40 K. 2 shows two close relaxation processes without applied DC fields that follow QT and Orbach mechanisms whereas for H DC = 500 Oe, the QT is cancelled and a direct term appears. Here we present the synthesis, X-ray structure and magnetic characterization of these two Co(III)-Dy(III) single-ion/molecule magnets.