Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of a self-assembled salicylaldimine neodymium(III) nitrate coordination polymer

Complex formed by the reaction of neodymium nitrate with Schiff base has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. The crystal structure and magnetic properties of the self-assembled complex, [Nd₂(H₂salen)₃(NO₃)₆]_n (H₂salen =N,N'-ethylenebis(salicylideneimine)), are reported. The central Nd(III) ion is nine-coordinate with a typical tricapped trigonal prismatic coordination geometry with an infinite 2-D net structure, in which every Schiff-base ligand links two Nd(III) ions, and Nd(III) ions as nodes make up hexagons with 3̄ axes passing through the centers. The susceptibility data of the complex are well-fitted to the Curie-Weiss law and anti-ferromagnetic interactions take place between intermolecular adjacent paramagnetic ions.