A comprehensive overview of this rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field of research. After a short introduction to the basics of magnetism and molecular magnetism, the text goes on to cover specific properties of molecular magnetic materials as well as their current and future applications. Design strategies for acquiring molecular magnetic materials with desired physical properties are discussed, as are such multifunctional materials as high Tc magnets, chiral and luminescent magnets, magnetic sponges as well as photo- and piezo-switching magnets. The result is an excellent resource for materials scientists, chemists, physicists and crystal engineers either entering or already working in the field.

One of the major challenges of science in the last few years of the second millennium is learning how to design materials which can fulfill specific tasks. Ambitious as it may be, the possibilities of success are not ne~li~ble provided that all the different expertises merge to overcome the limits of eXIsting disciplines and forming new paradigms science. The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Magnetic Molecular Materials" was organized with the above considerations in mind in order to determine which are the most appropriate synthetic strategies, experimental techniques of investigation, and theoretical models which are needed in order to develop new classes of magnetic materials which are based on molecules rather than on metallic or ionic lattices. Why molecules? The answer may be obvious: molecular chemistry in principle fine can tune the structures and the properties of complex aggregates, and nature already provides a large number of molecular aggregates which can perform the most disparate functions. The contributions collected in this book provide a rather complete view of the current research accomplishments of magnetic molecular materials. There are several different synthetic approaches which are followed ranging from purely organic to inorganic materials. Some encouraging successes have already been achieved, even if the critical temperatures below which magnetic order is observed still are in the range requiring liquid helium.

This book provides an overview of the physical phenomena discovered in magnetic molecular materials over the last 20 years. It is written by leading scientists having made the most important contributions to this active area of research. The main topics of this book are the principles of quantum tunneling and quantum coherence of single-molecule magnets (SMMs), phenomena which go beyond the physics of individual molecules, such as the collective behavior of arrays of SMMs, the physics of one-dimensional single–chain magnets and magnetism of SMMs grafted on substrates. The potential applications of these physical phenomena to classical and quantum information, communication technologies, and the emerging fields of molecular spintronics and magnetic refrigeration are stressed. The book is written for graduate students, researchers and non-experts in this field of research.

Combining the contemporary knowledge from widely scattered sources, this is a much-needed and comprehensive overview of the field. In maintaining a balance between theory and experiment, the book guides both advanced students and specialists to this research area. Topical reviews written by the foremost scientists explain recent trends and advances, focusing on the correlations between electronic structure and magnetic properties. The book spans recent trends in magnetism for molecules -- as well as inorganic-based materials, with an emphasis on new phenomena being explored from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints with the aim of understanding magnetism on the atomic scale. The volume helps readers evaluate their own experimental observations and serves as a basis for the design of new magnetic materials. Topics covered include: * Metallocenium Salts of Radical Anion Bis-(dichalcogenate) metalates * Chiral Molecule-Based Magnets * Cooperative Magnetic Behavior in Metal-Dicyanamide Complexes * Lanthanide Ions in Molecular Exchange Coupled Systems * Monte Carlo Simulation * Metallocene-Based Magnets * Magnetic Nanoporous Molecular Materials A unique reference work, indispensable for everyone concerned with the phenomena of magnetism.

Celebrating Volume 100: Thirty years ago Springer-Verlag together with a distinguished Board of Editors started the series Structure and Bonding. Initially the series was set up to publish reviews from different fields of modern inorganic chemistry, chemical physics and biochemistry, where the general subject of chemical bonding involves a metal and a small number of associated atoms. Three years ago the aims of the series was refined to span the entire periodic table and address structure and bonding issues wherever they may be relevant. Not only the traditional areas of chemical bonding will be dealt with but also nanostructres, molecular electronics, supramolecular structure, surfaces and clusters. With these aims in mind it is noteworthy that Volume 100 effectively reinforces and illustrates these ideals and is titled Pi-Electron Magnetism from Molecules to Magnetic Materials.

This first introduction to the rapidly growing field of molecular magnetism is written with Masters and PhD students in mind, while postdocs and other newcomers will also find it an extremely useful guide. Adopting a clear didactic approach, the authors cover the fundamental concepts, providing many examples and give an overview of the most important techniques and key applications. Although the focus is one lanthanide ions, thus reflecting the current research in the field, the principles and the methods equally apply to other systems. The result is an excellent textbook from both a scientific and pedagogic point of view.

Molecular Magnetism: From Molecular Assemblies to the Devices reviews the state of the art in the area. It is organized in two parts, the first of which introduces the basic concepts, theories and physical techniques required for the investigation of the magnetic molecular materials, comparing them with those used in the study of classical magnetic materials. Here the reader will find: (i) a detailed discussion of the electronic processes involved in the magnetic interaction mechanisms of molecular systems, including electron delocalization and spin polarization effects; (ii) a presentation of the available theoretical models based on spin and Hubbard Hamiltonians; and (iii) a description of the specific physical investigative techniques used to characterize the materials. The second part presents the different classes of existing magnetic molecular materials, focusing on the possible synthetic strategies developed to date to assemble the molecular building blocks ranging from purely organic to inorganic materials, as well as on their physical properties and potential applications. These materials comprise inorganic and organic ferro- and ferrimagnets, high nuclearity organic molecules and magnetic and metallic clusters, spin crossover systems, charge transfer salts (including fulleride salts and organic conductors and superconductors), and organized soft media (magnetic liquid crystals and Langmuir-Blodgett films).