Work

Bifunctional [Fe 6 Co 7 ] cyanide bridged assemblies: electron transfer coupled spin transition and liquid crystal properties

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Mesostructuring of Prussian Blue Analogues (PBAs) can impart high surface area and anisotropic magnetic behavior, making them desirable for practical applications as switches, sensors and display devices. Herein, we present the first report of alkylated {[Fe3Co3]2Co} tridecanuclear PBAs exhibiting magnetic bistability co-existing with thermochromism (green red) and crystal to liquid-crystal phase change. The rational design strategy led to the isolation of these tridecanuclear complexes with general formula {[FeTp(CN)3]3[Co(L-Cn)2]3}2Co·8A-·2H2O·ysolvents (1·Cn; 8A-= 7BF4-·[FeTp(CN)3]-, y = 64H2O and 2·Cn; A-= 8ClO4-, y = 8H2O), where, n = carbon chain length, i.e. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16; Tp = hydrotris(1-pyrazolyl)borate and L-Cn = N-alkylated 2,2′-dipyridylamine with respective carbon chain lengths, and y = masked solvents. The transition and melting temperatures of the complexes are in synchronisation and decreases with increasing carbon chain lengths. This occurs due to higher flexibility of longer alkyl chains. The flexible chains not only induce liquid crystalline properties in the complexes, but also allow their fabrication into thin film with nearly no compromise in the magnetic bistability and thermochromic behavior. This strategy to functionalise PBAs with flexible alkyl chains provides an array of mesostructures with tunable magnetic, optical, and electronic properties.

Source: Journal of Materials Chemistry C

DOI: 10.1039/d5tc03401a