Record ferromagnetic exchange through cyanide and elucidation of the magnetic phase diagram for a Cu(II)Re(IV)(CN)2...

Reaction of the high-magnetic anisotropy building unit [ReCl(4)(CN)(2)](2-) with [Cu(MeCN)(6)](2+) and hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)borate (Tp(-)) affords the zigzag chain compound (Bu(4)N)[TpCuReCl(4)(CN)(2)]. Dc magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal the presence of ferromagnetic exchange coupling between Re(IV) and Cu(II) centers along each chain and a fit to the data gives an exchange constant of J/k(B) = +41 K (+29 cm(-1)), representing the strongest ferromagnetic coupling yet observed through cyanide. Below 11.4 K and at applied fields of less than 3600 Oe, the compound undergoes a phase transition to an antiferromagnetic ground state, stemming from weak π-π interchain interactions of strength J(⊥)/k(B) = -1.7 K (-1.2 cm(-1)). This metamagnetic behavior is fully elucidated using both experimental and theoretical methods. In addition, theoretical modeling provides a detailed determination of the local anisotropy tensors corresponding to the [ReCl(4)(CN)(2)](2-) units and demonstrates that the zigzag arrangement of the Re(IV) centers significantly reduces the effective anisotropy of the chain. These results demonstrate the utility of the Re(IV)-CN-Cu(II) linkage and the importance of anisotropic spin orientation in designing strongly coupled systems, which will aid in both the realization of single-chain magnets with higher relaxation barriers and in the construction of high-dimensional cyano-bridged materials exhibiting higher ordering temperatures.