Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
A capped trigonal prismatic cobalt(ii) complex as a structural archetype for single-ion magnets.
Gangji Yi1, Huihui Cui, Chunyang Zhang
1School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, P. R. China. chenlei@just.edu.cn aihua.yuan@just.edu.cn.
Researchers synthesized novel cobalt and iron complexes. The cobalt complex, a seven-coordinate single-ion magnet, shows slow magnetic relaxation, a first for its coordination geometry.
Area of Science:
- Coordination chemistry
- Magnetochemistry
- Materials science
Background:
- Seven-coordinate metal complexes are less explored than lower-coordinate analogues.
- Single-ion magnets (SIMs) are crucial for developing molecular magnetic materials.
- Capped trigonal prismatic geometry offers unique electronic environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel seven-coordinate cobalt(II) and iron(II) complexes.
- To investigate the magnetic properties of these complexes, particularly their potential as single-ion magnets (SIMs).
- To explore the influence of coordination geometry on magnetic behavior.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of mononuclear cobalt(II) and iron(II) complexes using a pentapyridyldiamine (BPA-TPA) ligand.
- Structural characterization to confirm the capped trigonal prismatic coordination geometry.
- Magnetic susceptibility measurements and analysis of magnetic relaxation dynamics under an applied dc field.
Main Results:
- Two seven-coordinate complexes, [CoII(BPA-TPA)](BF4)2 (1-Co) and [FeII(BPA-TPA)](ClO4)2 (2-Fe), were successfully synthesized.
- Complex 1-Co exhibits easy plane anisotropy and slow magnetic relaxation under a 1.0 kOe dc field.
- Complex 2-Fe does not display SIM behavior at 1.8 K.
Conclusions:
- The cobalt(II) complex (1-Co) represents the first example of a 3d transition metal SIM with a capped trigonal prismatic configuration.
- The findings highlight the potential of specific coordination geometries in designing molecular magnets.
- Further studies are warranted to understand the factors governing SIM behavior in related systems.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Valence Bond Theory
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...
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,...
Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
Ionic Crystal Structures
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...

