Magnetic phase transitions in perovskite-type anilinium-based tetrachlorocuprates

Our research efforts have expanded upon the work previously done on the molecular composites (RNH(3))(2)CuC1(4) (R = alkyl-) by utilizing various para-substituted anilines and anilinium derivatives as design tools. The resulting structures have the general formula (RC(6)H(4)NH(3))(x)CuCl4 (R = methyl-, fluoro-, O2N-, for x = 2; R = H3N-, H3NC6H4- for x = 1) and are similar to the aforementioned compounds, consisting of two-dimensional layers of corner-sharing CuCl6 octahedra, resulting in a type of perovskite lattice. Equivalent magnetic sites are eclipsed between layers in the cast of a small interleaving organic moiety, such as H3NC6H4NH3, but are otherwise staggered along one or more axes. Powder susceptibility data for representative compounds containing small anilinium derivatives reveal magnetic transitions at temperatures ranging from similar to 11.5 to similar to 7 K, depending upon the chemical nature of the anilinium substitution and the interlayer spacing. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.