A dual shell-like heptadecanuclearity [Gd5Ni12] cluster with ferromagnetic interaction and large magnetocaloric effect

A new dual shell-like heptadecanuclearity [Gd5Ni12(Pro)9(CMP)6(μ3-OH)9(μ2-OH)3(H2O)3] · Cl6 · 23H2O (1) cluster with proline (HPro) and N-carboxymethyl-l-proline (H2CMP) as coligands has been successfully synthesized and characterized. The compound consists of rare trigonal bipyramid {Gd5} core and triangular orthobicupola {Ni12} outer shell. The magnetic studies reveal that 1 shows ferromagnetic interactions and a large magnetocaloric effect (22.4 J kg− 1 K− 1, ΔH = 7 T).