Structures and magnetic studies of two new bimetallic chain complexes constructed by manganese(III)–(Schiff-base) and mer-tricyanidoferrate building block

Two new cyano-bridged bimetallic complexes, {[MnIII(5-CH3)salen][FeIII(qcq)(CN)3]}n·1.85H2O (1) [salen = N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminato) dianion; qcq− = 8-(2-quinoline-2-carboxamido)quinoline anion] and {[MnIII(acphen)][FeIII(qcq)(CN)3]}n·6.46H2O (2) (acphen = bis(o-hydroxyacetophenone)ethylenediiminate), have been synthesized and characterized both structurally and magnetically. The structures of 1 and 2 are both 1-D zigzag chains connected through π ⋯π stacking and short contact interactions to form extended supramolecular networks. The magnetic measurements revealed the presence of antiferromagnetic FeIII⋯MnIII interactions in 1 and 2. Interestingly, weak slow magnetic relaxation was only detected for 1, indicating the intermolecular antiferromagnetic interactions in 2 are stronger than that in 1 and lead to the disappearance of the 1-D magnetic behavior.