Exchange interaction and spin dynamics in pentanuclear clusters, Cu₃Ln₂(ClCH₂COO)₁₂(H₂O)₈ (Ln = Nd³⁺, Sm³⁺, Pr³⁺)

Abstract

New compounds, [Cu₃Ln₂(ClCH₂COO)₁₂(H₂O)₈]·2H₂O with Ln = Nd³⁺ (I), Sm³⁺ (II), Pr³⁺ (III), built up of pentanuclear clusters were synthesized and studied by means of X-ray analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). X-ray data show that all compounds are isostructural and the pentanuclear clusteres may be considered as a linear system with alternating Cu(II) and Ln(III) ions: Cu(2)-L¹-Ln-L²-Cu(1)-L²-Ln-L²-Cu(2) with L¹ and L² being bridging fragments and Cu(1) and Cu(2) being structurally nonequivalent copper complexes. EPR studies demonstrate that in the temperature range of 100–293 K the signals due to only one type of the copper complexes are observed in the spectra of I–III. AtT<100 K the spectral temperature dependence is nontrivial. AtT<30 K new signals are detected in the spectra of I and II. The temperature dependence of the EPR spectra is interpreted under the assumption that the parameter of the exchange interaction Cu(2)-Ln considerably exceeds the parameter of the interaction Cu(1)-Ln. EPR spectra are calculated for the fragments of five paramagnetic centers in the frames of the model taking into account the nonequivalence of two copper complexes, short longitudinal and transverse paramagnetic relaxation times of the rare-earth ions at room temperature and the change of the relaxation rates when the temperature decreases. The results of the calculations show that it is possible to obtain information about the interactions in the system on the basis of the analysis of the temperature dependence of the EPR spectra of the central copper complex. The parameter of the isotropic part of the exchange interaction between copper and neodymium ions (for the interaction Cu(2)-Nd) is estimated as about 15 cm⁻¹. A considerable rearrangement of the spin states when the temperature changes is found for all complexes.