No abstract

A series of new octanuclear Ln8 clusters. Magnetically, Gd8 exhibited a significant magnetocaloric effect and a magnetic entropy change is 32.49 J K−1 kg−1 for a field of 7 T at 2 K, while Dy8 exhibited a frequency dependent slow relaxation of magnetization at a zero applied direct current magnetic field.

Two unique dodecanuclear lanthanide clusters, [Ln III 12 Na 3 (μ 3 -OH) 2 (hmmp) 6 (piv) 12 (CO 3 ) 6 (MeOH) 6 ]OH·5MeOH {Ln = Gd 3+ , Dy 3+ ; hmmpH 2 = 2-[(2-hydroxyethylimino)methyl]-6-methoxyphenol}, have been synthesized by treating the simple Schiff-base ligand hmmpH 2 with the relevant lanthanide chloride and sodium pivalate (NaPiv). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the central cores of Gd 12 and Dy 12 are unprecedented and composed of a distorted four-layer [a]