Synthesis and structural, magnetic and EPR characterization of discrete finite antiferromagnetic chains

The synthesis, magnetic and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterisation of isolated, discrete, {CrnIII} antiferromagnetically coupled chain complexes is reported for n = 6 and 7. Previous studies had reported supramolecular linked {CrnIII}x species. For n = 6, the lowest lying total spin state is diamagnetic with S = 1 and 2 first and second excited states, respectively; for n = 7, the lowest lying total spin state is S = 3/2 with S = 1/2 and 5/2 first and second excited states, respectively. The zero-field splittings of these states are well defined by low-temperature, multi-frequency EPR spectroscopy. © Springer 2009.