A neutral 2D oxalate-based soluble magnet assembled by hydrogen bonding interactions

Herein we describe the synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of a novel oxalate-based layered magnetic system: {[Mn(OH2)2(S)2][Mn(S)(OH2)]2[Cr(ox)3]2(18-crown-6)}∞ (S = CH3OH; ox = C 2 O 4 2 - ; 18-crown-6 = C12H24O6) (1). In this case, no cationic templating agent is required to promote the assembling of low-dimensional oxalate-bridged metallic complexes in solution. Instead, strong enough hydrogen bonding interactions are responsible for their packing in the solid state. This magnet is soluble and presents two different types of oxalate bridges: the common bis(bidentate) and the unusual bidentate–monodentate. This structural feature has drastic consequences on the magnetism of this compound, as it shows ferrimagnetic ordering below 5.5 K.