Proton Control of the Lanthanoid Single-Ion Magnet Behavior of a Double-Decker Complex with an Indolenine-Substituted Annulene Ligand

Inorg Chem. 2017 Jun 5;56(11):6512-6521. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b00626. Epub 2017 May 24.

Abstract

Two double-decker complexes with annulene ligands functionalized with indolenine groups were synthesized and characterized. The position of the proton acting as a counterion on one of the four indolenine nitrogen atoms was determined by using DFT calculations. Deprotonation and protonation of the complex induced by adding a base and an acid, respectively, were monitored by using NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, a correlation among the degree of protonation of the complex, the opening of the hysteresis, and the slow relaxation time is discussed.