Tri-, tetra- and octa-metallic vanadium(III) clusters from new, simple starting materials: interplay of exchange and anisotropy effects.

The crystal structure of the monomeric vanadium(III) species mer-[V(bipy)Cl(3)(MeCN)] (1; bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine) is reported. The solvothermal reaction of [V(bipy)Cl(3)(MeCN)]with Na(O(2)CPh) yields the T-shaped cluster [V(3)(O)Cl(3)(O(2)CPh)(2)(bipy)(2)(OEt)(2)], magnetic studies of which show strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic coupling giving a well isolated S = 1 ground state. Solvothermal treatment of 1 with triols yields a series of polymetallic clusters [V(4)Cl(6)(thme)(2)(bipy)(3)], [V(3)Cl(4)(Hcht)(2)(bipy)(2)]Cl and [V(8)(OH)(2)Cl(4)(cht)(4)(O(2)CPh)(6)(bipy)(2)], structurally related to previously reported {M(4)} centred triangles.

Synthesis, structural, and magnetic studies on a redox family of tetrametallic vanadium clusters: {VIV4}, {VIII2VIV2}, and {VIII4} butterfly complexes.

The synthesis, crystal structures, and magnetic properties are reported for a redox family of butterfly-type tetrametallic vanadium alkoxide clusters, namely [V2(VO)2(acac)4(RC{CH2O}3)2] (R=Me 1, Et 2, CH2OH 3), [V2(VO)2(acac)2(O2CPh)2(MeC{CH2O}3)2] (5), [(VO)4(MeOH)2(O2CPh)2({HOCH2}C{CH2O}3)2] (6), [V4Cl2(dbm)4(RC{CH2OH}3)2] (R=Me 7, Et 8, CH2OH 9), and [V4Cl2(dbm)4(MeO)6] (10). The cluster cores are {VIV4} (6), {VIII2VIV2} (1-5), and {VIII4} (7-10), with examples of both isomeric forms of the of the mixed-valence cores (either VIII or VIV ions forming the butterfly body). Magnetic studies reveal the clusters to be dominated by antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in each case.