Tuning up the Tc in Mn(II)Cu(II) bimetallic planes and design of molecular-based magnets

Abstract A family of related compounds of general formula (PPh4)2Mn2[Cu((L)]3nH2O, where PPh4+ is the tetraphenylphosphonium cation and L stands for ortho-phenylenebis(oxamate) (opba, 1), ortho-phenylene (N′-methyloxamidate) (oxamate) (Meopba, 2) and ortho-phenylenebis (N′-methyloxamidate) (Me2opba, 3), have been synthesized. The X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray Within absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra at both Mn and Cu K-edges for all three compounds, as well as their powder X-ray patterns, are consistent with a layered structure built up of parallel Mn11Cu11 two-dimensional honeycomb networks separated by PPh4+ cations. Within the antonic metallic la…