Two new polynuclear high-spin Co^II coordination clusters have been synthesised using the proligand N-allyldiethanolamine (2, 2′- (allylazanediyl) bis (ethan-1-ol), adeaH₂). The heptanuclear coordination cluster Co^III₂Co^II₅ (adea) ₂ (μ₃ -OH) ₂ (μ₃ -OMe) ₂ (μ₂ OMe) ₂ (piv) ₆ (MeOH) ₂⋅2MeOH (1) possesses a disk-like core motif and was used as a starting material for the syntheses of the octanuclear coordination cluster Co^III₂ Co^II₆ (adea) ₂ (μ₃-OH) ₄ (piv) ₁₀⋅2Hpiv⋅2MeCN (2). From magnetic measurements a magnetic model could be developed which fits the χT versus T and M versus B curves accurately. In order to rationalise the magnetic properties of 2 it was found essential to consider the consequences of the freedom to choose the local coordinate frames used for describing the individual Co^II centres in the cluster. The far-reaching implications of this for the interpretation of magnetic parameters derived from magnetic modelling of clusters containing highly-anisotropic metal ions are discussed.
Nehrkorn et al. (Thu,) studied this question.