Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of lanthanide ferrocenoylacetonates with nitrate and 2,2′-bipyridine ligands

Abstract Ferrocenoylacetonate complexes of several lanthanides, [Ln(fca)2(NO3)(bpy)]·nMeC6H5 (Ln = Sm (1), Dy (3), Er (4), Yb (5), n = 1; Eu (2), n = 0.5; fca = FcC(O)CHC(O)Me; bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine), were synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal analysis. Complexes 1, 4, and 5 are isostructural; 2 has a similar molecular structure with cis-disposition of fca ligands. The molecular structure of 3 is different, with trans-disposition of the fca ligands. Crystal lattices of the complexes are stabilized by π-stacking interactions. The Ln3+ ions in the complexes are eight-coordinate. According to mass spectroscopic data, the complexes are unstable in the gas phase. Magnetic properties of 2 and 4 were studied in a DC field; for 4, AC studies were also carried out. The values of spin-orbital parameters obtained using two estimation methods for 2 are in satisfactory agreement. Slow relaxation of the magnetization was found for the Er complex.