Structure and magnetic properties of Ln2[Cu(opba)]3(DMSO)6(H2O) · (H2O) compounds with Lndouble bond; length as m-dashLa–Lu exhibiting ladder-like molecular motifs

The reaction of Ln(III) ions with the precursor [Cu(opba)]2− in DMSO has afforded a series of isostructural compounds of general chemical formula Ln2[Cu(opba)]3(DMSO)6(H2O) · (H2O), where Ln(III) stands for a lanthanide ion and opba stands for ortho-phenylenebis(oxamato). The crystal structure has been solved for the Gd(III) containing compound. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pbn21 (No. 33) with a = 9.4183(2) Å, b = 21.2326(4) Å, c = 37.9387(8) Å and Z = 4. The structure consists of ladder-like molecular motifs parallel to each other. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Ln(III)Cu(II) coordination polymer family exhibiting the same crystal structure over the whole lanthanide series. The magnetic properties of the compounds have been investigated and the magnetic behavior of the Gd(III) containing compound was studied in more detail.