[Ln] complexes (Ln = Gd, Dy): molecular analogues of natural minerals such as hydrotalcite

Two new hexadecanuclear lanthanide complexes employing the 1,5-bis(salicylidene)carbohydrazide (H 2 bsc) ligand are reported herein. These polynuclear aggregates crystallize in the R 3&cmb.macr; space group, which is unprecedented in a family of lanthanide complexes with such high nuclearity. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal weak intramolecular interactions between the magnetic centres, and in the case of compound 2 (Dy III ), single-molecule magnet properties are observed. Two new hexadecanuclear lanthanide complexes employing H 2 bsc ligand are crystallized in the R 3&cmb.macr; space group, which is unprecedented in a family of lanthanide complexes with such high nuclearity.