Metal–Nitroxide Complexes: Synthesis and Magnetostructural Correlations - Stable Radicals: Fundamentals and Applied Aspects of Odd-Electron Compounds - page 484

N N

N N N

O O O O O

L 36

L 37

O

N

A=B,N,C,

A

O

N
O

N

L 38

Scheme 13.18

13.4 Heterospin systems based on polynuclear compounds of metals
with nitroxides

The design of molecular magnets is an actively developed field of modern chemistry because molecular
(molecule-based) magnets are of interest not only for fundamental interest but also possible applications
in materials science. 6-8,11-19,162-169 Various potential applications of molecular magnets have been noted;
for example, original devices of a new type, transforming radiant energy into mechanical energy, and
devices capable of serving as screens protecting from low frequency fields or functioning as working
elements for reaching huge coercive fields at low temperatures. 7,10,16,19,162 - 169 Active research in the field
of molecular magnetism has stimulated the generation and development of spintronics. 170,171 Problems
in the development and creation of storage elements of quantum computers and logical devices, whose
essential working elements are molecular nanomagnets, are being widely discussed today (e.g., 171 - 183
and references therein).
Among molecular nanomagnets, so-called single-molecule magnets are being studied most actively.
These are generally polynuclear compounds of transition metals. Increased interest in these compounds
has stimulated efforts to integrate studies in the field of the molecular design of magnets with studies in
the field of the design of molecular magnets. The latter phrase is not tautology because the term “the
molecular design of magnets” reflects the proper methodology of magnet assembly as an entity from
the individual molecules with all paramagnetic centers of the magnet involved in cooperative interaction,
forming homogeneous magnetization. In contrast, the term “the design of molecular magnets” emphasizes
essentially non-homogeneous microscopic magnetization; in this case, the aim of chemical design is the
synthesis of complex polynuclear compounds, in which strong magnetic interactions are concentrated. In
crystals and amorphous solids, these often complex and bulky polynuclear compounds form molecular
solids in which magnetic interactions between the polynuclear compounds are often one to three orders of
magnitude smaller than within the polynuclear fragment.