Towards Single-Molecule Magnets with Nonlinear Optical Properties. Polynuclear Complexes Based on New Push-pull Derivatives of 2-(Hydroxymethyl)pyridine

This research work is a contribution to the ongoing efforts in the field of multifunctional molecular magnets with nonlinear optical properties. The main objectives of this project are the synthesis and the characterization of single molecule magnets based on push-pull derivatives of 2-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine. New ligands bearing 2-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine with a conjugated bridge and electron donating groups will be synthesized and characterized. These ligands will be used to synthesize a series of polynuclear complexes based on different metal ions and ancillary ligands in order to achieve single molecule magnetic properties in combination with nonlinear optical properties. Attempts to obtain single crystals suitable for X-ray analysis will be carried out in order to investigate the structure-properties correlations.