New photomagnetic cyanido-bridged CuII–MoIV oligonuclear complexes: slight modification of the blocking ligands induces different structures

Abstract

A pentanuclear complex, [Mo(CN)₈{CuL¹}₂{CuL¹(H₂O)}₂]·6H₂O 1, and a decanuclear one, [Mo(CN)₈{CuL²}₃{CuL²(H₂O)}]₂·10H₂O 2, have been obtained following the building-block approach (HL¹ and HL² are tridentate Schiff bases obtained by reacting salicylaldehyde with 2-aminomethyl-pyridine and 2-aminoethyl-pyridine, respectively). Both compounds present reversible photo-induced magnetic properties interpreted as a Mo^IV–Cu^II charge transfer. Compound 2 exhibits a lower efficiency of this metal–metal charge transfer than compound 1 attributed to a less flexible structure of 2 compared to 1.