Electroswitching of the single-molecule magnet behaviour in an octahedral spin crossover cobalt(ii) complex with a redox-active pyridinediimine ligand

Abstract

Thermal-assisted spin crossover and field-induced slow magnetic relaxation coexist in the solid state for the mononuclear cobalt(II) complex with the non-innocent 2,6-bis(N-4-methoxyphenylformimidoyl)pyridine ligand. One-electron oxidation of the paramagnetic low-spin Co^II ion (S_Co = 1/2) to the diamagnetic low-spin Co^III ion (S_Co = 0) leads to the electroswitching of the slow magnetic relaxation in acetonitrile solution.