Chemically-Controlled Stacking Of Inorganic Subnets In Coordination Networks: Metal-Organic Magnetic Multilayers

Coordination networks (CNs), such as, for instance, metalorganic frameworks (MOFs), can turn into remarkable magnets, with various topologies of spin carriers and unique opportunities of cross-coupling to other functionalities. Alternatively, distinct inorganic subnetworks that are spatially segregated by organic ligands can lead to coexisting magnetic systems in a single bulk material. Here, we present a system of two CNs of general formula Mn(H2O)(x)(OOC-(C6H4)(y)-COO). The compound with two water molecules and one aromatic ring (x = 2; y = 1) has a single two-dimensional magnetic subnet, while the material with x = 1.5 and y = 2 shows, additionally, another type of magnetic layer. In analogy to magnetic multilayers that are deposited by physical methods, these materials can be regarded as metal-organic magnetic multilayers (MOMMs), where the stacking of different types of magnetic layers is controlled by the choice of an organic ligand during the chemical synthesis. This work further paves the way toward organic-inorganic nanostructures with functional magnetic properties.