Novel double-decker phthalocyaninato terbium(III) single molecule magnets with stabilised redox states

Double-decker phthalocyanine lanthanide complexes are single molecule magnets (SMMs) presenting a thermally activated magnetic relaxation with relatively high effective barriers. For this reason they are potential candidates as components for data storage and spintronic devices. One of the disadvantages of these compounds is their redox instability: they are oxidized or reduced in the presence of mild oxidizing and reducing agents. To solve this issue, we designed, prepared and characterized new double-decker phthalocyanine based SMMs bearing electron withdrawing groups and therefore presenting an increased redox stability. In the present article, the synthesis and characterization of these novel compounds is presented and we demonstrate how the magnetic behavior of the complexes is virtually identical to that of the parent unsubstituted compounds.