A monometallic lanthanide bis(methanediide) single molecule magnet with a large energy barrier and complex spin relaxation behaviour.

We report a dysprosium(iii) bis(methanediide) single molecule magnet (SMM) where stabilisation of the highly magnetic states and suppression of mixing of opposite magnetic projections is imposed by a linear arrangement of negatively-charged donor atoms supported by weak neutral donors. Treatment of [Ln(BIPM(TMS))(BIPM(TMS)H)] [Ln = Dy, 1Dy; Y, 1Y; BIPM(TMS) = {C(PPh(2)NSiMe(3))(2)}(2-); BIPM(TMS)H = {HC(PPh(2)NSiMe(3))(2)}(-)] with benzyl potassium/18-crown-6 ether (18C6) in THF afforded [Ln(BIPM(TMS))(2)][K(18C6)(THF)(2)] [Ln = Dy, 2Dy; Y, 2Y]. AC magnetic measurements of 2Dy in zero DC field show temperature- and frequency-dependent SMM behaviour. Orbach relaxation dominates at high temperature, but at lower temperatures a second-order Raman process dominates. Complex 2Dy exhibits two thermally activated energy barriers (U (eff)) of 721 and 813 K, the largest U (eff) values for any monometallic dysprosium(iii) complex. Dilution experiments confirm the molecular origin of this phenomenon. Complex 2Dy has rich magnetic dynamics; field-cooled (FC)/zero-field cooled (ZFC) susceptibility measurements show a clear divergence at 16 K, meaning the magnetic observables are out-of-equilibrium below this temperature, however the maximum in ZFC, which conventionally defines the blocking temperature, T (B), is found at 10 K. Magnetic hysteresis is also observed in 10% 2Dy@2Y at these temperatures. Ab initio calculations suggest the lowest three Kramers doublets of the ground (6)H(15/2) multiplet of 2Dy are essentially pure, well-isolated |±15/2, |±13/2 and |±11/2 states quantised along the C[double bond, length as m-dash]Dy[double bond, length as m-dash]C axis. Thermal relaxation occurs via the 4(th) and 5(th) doublets, verified experimentally for the first time, and calculated U (eff) values of 742 and 810 K compare very well to experimental magnetism and luminescence data. This work validates a design strategy towards realising high-temperature SMMs and produces unusual spin relaxation behaviour where the magnetic observables are out-of-equilibrium some 6 K above the formal blocking temperature.