Exploring the Magnetic Interactions in Two Novel Cyanide-Bridged Homo- and Heterometallic Hexadecanuclear Complexes.

Two novel isostructural cyanide-bridged hexadecanuclear complexes with the general formula {[Fe(CN)][M{en(Bn)py}]} [M=Fe (1), Ni (2)] have been synthesized. The structural analyses disclose the presence of multivalent Fe centres with different spin states in complex 1 whereas all the Fe centres share a conserved oxidation state in complex 2. The DC magnetic study revealed antiferromagnetic interactions between the adjacent metal centres and ferrimagnetic behaviour in 1. On the other hand, ferromagnetic interactions were observed in complex 2 due to nearly orthogonal orientation of the interacting orbitals and poor spatial overlap as observed in BS-DFT calculations.