Room temperature photochromism and photoinduced slow magnetic relaxation of cyanometallic supramolecular hybrid salts

By incorporating diprotonated terpyridine cations and hexacyanometalate(iii) anions into supramolecular hybrid salts, formulated as (HTPY)(H2TPY)[M-III(CN)(6)]center dot 5H(2)O where TPY = 2,2 ':6 ',2 ''-terpyridine, M = Fe (1), Co(2), room temperature photoinduced electron transfer (PET) was achieved with the involvement of a [M-III(CN)(6)](3-) ion. Characterization of the intrinsic nature unfolded unprecedented light-induced off -> on magnetization and slow magnetic relaxation behaviour occurring for the M = Co analogue, which paves a promising way for photo-responsive multifunctional molecular materials.