title: Structure and magnetic properties of a giant Cu44II aggregate which packs with a zeotypic superstructure.
abstract: Reaction of Cu(II) and the aminopolycarboxylate nitrilotripropionic acid (H(3)ntp) in water leads to the formation of [Cu(44)(mu(8)-Br)(2)(mu(3)-OH)(36)(mu-OH)(4)(ntp)(12)Br(8)(OH(2))(28)]Br(2).81H(2)O. The Cu(44) aggregates have a central inorganic core corresponding to [Cu(24)(mu(8)-Br)(2)(mu(3)-OH)(24)(mu-OH)(8)](14+) anchored on two bromide anions, and this is encased in a shell of Cu(II)/ligand units. The aggregates pack into a distorted tetragonal array with a very open structure containing large amounts of water of crystallization. The magnetic properties have been studied and, while complicated by the presence of low-lying excited states, indicate that the individual clusters have nonzero spin ground states.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Anorganische Chemie der Universität Karlsruhe, Engesserstrasse Geb. 30-45, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: Muralee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murugesu
authors.forename: Rodolphe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clérac
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Anson
authors.forename: Annie K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Powell