Transfer of magnetic moment from dysprosium to noble metal ions in molecular compounds via direct interaction

Direct lanthanide-transition metal bonds are rare, but previous work in our and other groups has shown that the electronic structure of lanthanide ions can be significantly influenced by neighbouring diamagnetic noble atoms (Pd2+, Pt2+) in molecular systems. Building on this, we have synthesized 4 new complexes with SMM properties and Dy-M (M = Pd, Pt, Au) distances of 3.3-3.5 Å, shorter than the ones reported so far, for detailed study of the Ln-M interaction and a cross-comparison. Preliminary XMCD data of one of these compounds with a Dy-Au distance of 3.5 Å at the Au L3 edge strongly indicates magnetization on the Au atom, which can only be explained by a transfer of magnetic moment from the Dy atom. In this proposal we aim to exploit the unique sensitivity of XMCD at the L2,3 edges of Pd, Pt and Au to quantify this magnetization transfer.