Strategies towards single molecule magnets based on lanthanide ions

We review here the synthetic strategies employed in a concerted effort to obtain new single molecule magnets based on lanthanide ions in the framework of the research program on Molecular Magnetism funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. The reported systems are grouped in 4f–2p, 4f–3d, and pure 4f materials. While the use of compartmentalized ligands, assisted self assembly, and site-targeted reactions have provided interesting examples...