Polymorphism in spin-crossover systems

The occurrence of spin-crossover (SCO) highly depends on external influences, i.e. temperature, pressure, light irradiation or magnetic field, this electronic switching phenomenon is accompanied by drastic changes in magnetic and optical properties, dielectric constants, colour and structures. Thus, SCO materials are particularly attractive for potential applications in molecular sensing, switching, data storage, display, and other electronic devices at nanometric scale. Polymorphism is widely encountered in the studies of crystallization, phase transition, materials synthesis, biomineralization, and in the manufacture of drugs. Because different crystal forms of the same substance can possess very different properties and behave as different materials, so they are particularly meaningful for investigating SCO phenomena. Studying polymorphism of SCO compounds is therefore important for better understanding the structural factors contributing to spin transition and the structure–function relationship. This critical review is aimed to provide general readers with a comprehensive view of polymorphism in SCO systems. The article is generally structured according to specific metal ions and the dimensionality of compounds in the field. This paper is addressed to readers who are interested in multifunctional materials and tuning magnetic properties through supramolecular chemistry principles (129 references). 2012