Pressure-driven high to low spin transition in the bimetallic quantum magnet [Ru2(O2CMe)4]3[Cr(CN)6]...

Synchrotron-based infrared and Raman spectroscopies were brought together with diamond anvil
cell techniques and an analysis of the magnetic properties to investigate the pressure-induced high
→ low spin transition in [Ru2(O2CMe)4]3[Cr(CN)6]. The extended nature of the diruthenium wavefunction
combined with coupling to chromium-related local lattice distortions changes the relative
energies of the π
∗
and δ
∗
orbitals and drives the high → low spin transition on the mixed-valence
diruthenium complex. This is a rare example of an externally controlled metamagnetic transition
in which both spin-orbit and spin-lattice interactions contribute to the mechanism.