A novel Dy4 cluster constructed by an 8‑hydroxyquinoline Schiff base showing remarkable single molecule magnet behavior

The construction of polynuclear Ln(III)-based clusters toward interesting topological structures and outstanding magnetic properties is a critical challenge for chemists. Herein, by using a flexible Schiff base ligand H 2 L, a novel Dy 4 cluster with the formula {Dy 4 (acac) 4 L 4 }·solvent ( 1 ) (Hacac =  acetylacetone , and H 2 L = pyridine-2-carboxylic acid (8-hydroxy-quinolin-2-ylmethylene)-hydrazide), has been synthesized, structurally and magnetically studied. The X-ray structural analysis suggests cluster 1 is a tetranuclear dysprosium compound, and the four central Dy(III) ions are connected by eight bridging N atoms of four H 2 L forming a quadrilateral Dy 4 core. It is interesting that more than one magnetic relaxation processes were clearly observed in the 1-Dy 4 cluster under H dc  = 0 Oe field.