Self‐Assembly Synthesis of a [2]Catenane Co<sup>II</sup> Single‐Molecule Magnet
Benjamin H. Wilson, Jas S. Ward, David C. Young, Jun‐Liang Liu, Corine Mathonière, Rodolphe Clérac, Paul E. Kruger
Abstract
Abstract We describe herein the self‐assembly synthesis of an octanuclear Co II [2]catenane {[Co 4 ( H 2 L ) 6 ] 2 16+ } formed by the mechanical interlocking of two {[Co 4 ( H 2 L ) 6 ] 8+ } rectangles of unprecedented topology. Subtle manipulation of the synthetic conditions allows the isolation of a mixed‐valence [Co 2 III /Co 2 II ] 10+ non‐catenated rectangle. The Co II centers in the [2]catenane exhibit slow relaxation of their magnetic moment, i. e. single‐molecule magnet properties, dominated by quantum tunneling and Raman relaxation processes. This work shows that metallo‐supramolecular chemistry can precisely control the organization of single‐molecule magnets in topologically complex arrangements.