The azido ligand: a useful tool in designing chain compounds exhibiting alternating ferro- and antiferro-magnetic interactions

Abstract

A one-pot reaction of Ni ^II 1, Co ^II 2, Fe ^II 3 and Mn ^II 4 with 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) and azide in water leads to [M(bipy)(N ₃ ) ₂ ] _n chains where the metal ion is alternatively bridged by double end-on (EO) and end-to-end (EE) azido bridges; theoretical analysis of the variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data of 1 and 4 reveals the occurrence of intrachain alternating ferro- (through EO) and antiferro-magnetic (through EE) interactions.