Solvent-induced formation of two gadolinium clusters demonstrating strong magnetocaloric effects and ferroelectric properties

Two gadolinium clusters, [Gd 2 (H 3 L) 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 ( 1 ) and [Gd 3 (HL)(H 2 L)(NO 3 ) 4 ]·C 2 H 5 OH ( 2 ) (H 4 L = N , N , N ′, N ′-tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine), were synthesized and characterized with different solvents. The magnetic properties of 1 and 2 were recorded and studied in detail. 1 is a centrosymmetric binuclear Gd 2 cluster, adopting a P 1&cmb.macr; space group (point group 1&cmb.macr;), and exhibits a strong magnetocaloric effect (MCE) entropy with −Δ S m of 27.50 J kg −1 K −1 . 2 crystallizes in the Pna 2 1 space group (polar point group mm 2) through solvent modulation and contains an asymmetric trinuclear Gd 3 cluster. Magnetic and ferroelectric investigations of 2 reveal a large change in the magnetocaloric effect entropy with −Δ S m of 30.22 J kg −1 K −1 , ferroelectric hysteresis and dielectric anomalies. Large magnetocaloric effects and ferroelectric properties were demonstrated in two gadolinium clusters obtained via solvent modulation.