Synthesis and magnetic properties of three-dimensional metal (II) organophosphates

•A new series of metal organophosphate have been prepared by hydrothermal method.•The structure consisted of two-dimensional Metal–Oxygen inorganic layers.•The Mn and Fe compounds represent the interesting 3D molecular metamagnet.•The magnetism is due to spin canted antiferromagnetic with high critical temperature.•The infinite M–O–M layers are believed to be responsible for this high performance.

A new series of metal (II) organophosphates with the formula M(II) 2(H2O)2[O3PCH2(C6H4)CH2PO3] (M=Mn, Fe and Ni) have been prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. The structure consisted of two-dimensional metal–oxygen inorganic layers is pillared by p-xylylenediphosphonate to form a three dimensional framework. The layers are constructed by corner-sharing metal oxygen polyhedron. A study on the magnetism of the materials indicates the presence of spin canted antiferromagnetc interactions. The manganese and iron compounds represent the interesting 3D metal organophosphate molecular metamagnet due to spin canted antiferromagnetic with high critical temperature (40 K for Mn; 16 K for Fe). The infinite M–O–M layers are believed to be responsible for this high performance.