Towards the Synthesis of Multifunctional Molecular Magnetic Materials Displaying Dual Physical Properties

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One of the hottest topics in the interdisciplinary field of Molecular Magnetism is the search for hybrid (multifunctional) magnets, i.e., to make molecules and/or family of molecular species that not only possess interesting magnetic properties, such as ferromagnetism and/or single-molecule magnetism (SMM), but also combine them with photoactive, catalytic, medicinal, or conductive properties, for example. SMMs can find use in potential applications such as high-density information storage, quantum computing and spin-based molecular electronics, while other molecules are beneficial for low-temperature magnetic cooling with the potential for replacing the currently used low-temperature refrigerant, helium-3, which is both expensive and very rare. The goals of the proposed research are: (i) to develop strategies for the synthesis of SMMs with fluorescent ligands (emissive SMMs), (ii) to synthesize photon accessible SMMs, where a laser pulse will be employed to change the nature of a SMM in a crystal while the solid cluster is maintained at low temperature, and (iii) the use of emissive SMMs as advanced homogenous catalysts for the activation (i.e., oxidation) of various substrates, for example in the photo-induced oxidation of H2O to molecular O2. By means of a broad array of methods, and in collaboration with established groups in the USA, France and Canada, our goals are the following: (i) to study the quantum behaviour exhibited by SMMs on a time scale of 10-9 to 10-12 seconds, which should be dramatically affected by the ligands' emissive states and fluorescence lifetimes, a mandatory requirement for the operation of molecular spins as true models for universal quantum gates; (ii) to detect the presence of one molecule of a SMM, aided by the presence of fluorescence ligands, which is of vital importance in the field of molecular electronics; and (iii) to develop for the first time emissive SMMs as supported oxidation catalysts, providing effective, robust, low-cost (without noble metals), and recyclable oxidation catalysts using environmental friendly oxidants.