The preparation, single crystal X-ray crystallography, and magnetic properties are reported for four new clusters based on [M'V(CN)8]3- octacyanometallates (M'=Mo, W). Reactions of [M'V(CN)8]3- with mononuclear NiII ions in the presence of the tmphen blocking ligand (tmphen=3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) in a 2:3:6 ratio, respectively, lead to the formation of the trigonal bipyramidal clusters [NiII(tmphen)2]3[M'V(CN)8]2. Analogous reactions with the same starting materials performed in a 2:3:2 ratio, respectively, produce pentadecanuclear clusters of the type {NiII[NiII(tmphen)(MeOH)]6[Ni(H2O)3]2[micro-CN]30[WV(CN)3]6}. The W2Ni3 (1) and Mo2Ni3(2) pentanuclear clusters and the W6Ni9 (3) and Mo6Ni9 (4) pentadecanuclear molecules are isostructural to each other and crystallize in the space groups P2(1)/c and R3 respectively. Magnetic measurements indicate that the ground states for the trigonal bipyamidal clusters are S=4 as a consequence of ferromagnetic coupling with JW-Ni=9.5 cm(-1), JMo-Ni=10 cm(-1). The pentadecanuclear clusters exhibit ferromagnetic coupling as well, which leads to S=12 ground states (JW-Ni=12 cm(-1), JMo-Ni=12.2 cm(-1)). Reduced magnetization studies on the W-Ni analogues support the conclusion that they exhibit a negative axial anisotropy term; the fits give D values of -0.24 cm(-1) for the W2Ni3 cluster and D=-0.04 cm(-1)for the W6Ni9 cluster. AC susceptibility measurements indicate the beginning of an out-of-phase signal for the W2Ni3 and the W6Ni9 compounds, but detailed low temperature studies on small crystals by the microSQUID technique indicate that only the pentadecanuclear cluster exhibits hysteresis in accord with SMM behavior. Neither Mo cluster reveals any evidence for slow paramagnetic relaxation at low temperatures.

Pentanuclear cyanide-bridged clusters of the general formula {[M(tmphen)(2)](3)[M'(CN)(6)](2)} (tmphen = 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) have been under investigation in our laboratories for a number of years. These related molecules are conveniently prepared by a building block approach that involves the reaction of mononuclear {M(tmphen)(2)X(2)}(0/2+) species (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn; X = anion, solvent) with [M'(CN)(6)](3-) anions (M' = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Os). The resulting trigonal-bipyramidal (TBP) clusters, consisting of M and M' centers in the equatorial and axial positions, respectively, exhibit diverse properties including those that had previously been observed only for Prussian blue extended phases; these properties include single-molecule magnetism, spin crossover, charge-transfer-induced spin transitions, cyanide linkage isomerism, and magnetic coupling through diamagnetic metal ions. Given that a series of clusters with identical axial cyanometallate units can be prepared, we have been able to establish trends in magnetic coupling for families of clusters with different equatorial metal ions. The crystal packing of the clusters, which involves supramolecular pi-stacking interactions, reveals the origin of the observed differences in the coordination environments and, in several cases, the physical properties of the metal ions in the equatorial sites. Recent work has focused on the use of these molecules as building blocks for magnetic chains and the incorporation of highly anisotropic 5d metal ions such as Os(III) into the TBP core. Such comprehensive studies of small clusters are valuable for understanding and modeling the magnetic behavior of more complicated cyanide materials.