Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Magnetometric Characterization of Intermediates in the Solid-State Electrochemistry of Redox-Active Metal-Organic Frameworks
Published on: June 9, 2023
Magnetic ordering in three-dimensional metal-organic frameworks based on carboxylate bridged square-grid layers
Qian Sun1, Ai-ling Cheng, Yan-Qin Wang
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China.
Abstract:
Three isomorphous metal-organic frameworks of formula [M(ppdc)(H(2)O)(2)](n) [M = Mn(II), Fe(II), and Co(II)] were synthesized from sodium p-phenylenediacrylic (Na(2)ppdc). Crystallographic studies revealed that the compounds are layer-pillared 3D frameworks in which the square-grid M(II) layers with single carboxylate bridges are interlinked by long organic spacers with large interlayer separations of about 13 Å. Magnetic investigations indicated that they all display intralayer antiferromagnetic interactions through the carboxylate bridges in the unusual skew-skew coordination mode but the bulk behaviors are quite different. The Co(II) compound, like most compounds containing similar M-O-C-O-M layers, shows no 3D magnetic ordering down to 2 K, while the Mn(II) and Fe(II) compounds exhibit spin-canted ordering, behaving as a weak ferromagnet (T(C) = 3.8 K) and a metamagnet (T(N) = 3.8 K, H(c) = 650 Oe), respectively. Spin-canted ordering is still a rarity in this series of materials. Magnetostructural comparisons with analogous compounds indicate that the occurrence of spin-canted ordering can be related to the uncommon skew-skew and anti-anti coordination modes of carboxylate bridges, which induce stronger antiferromagnetic interactions than the common syn-anti mode.
Related Concept Videos
Valence Bond Theory
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Coordination Number and Geometry
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.

