Abstract
The principal magnetic moments of crystals of tri-iodohexakis(antipyrine)terbium(III)(antipyrine is 2,3-dimethyl-1-phenyl-Δ3-pyrazolin-5-one) have been measured in the temperature range 300–90 K. These are interpreted within a free-ion f8, 7F term as basis perturbed by spin–orbit coupling and a crystal field of D3d symmetry. Values related to the coefficient of the second-order potential and for the fourth-order radial parameter [A2 0r2〉 and ρ4, respectively] have been determined and the irrelevance of the sixth-order radial parameter, ρ6, demonstrated. The results are compared with previous measurements down to ca. 2 K. In particular, comparison of the calculated ground-state ‘zero-field splitting’ with that previously deduced from magnetization curves demonstrates the relevance of calculations including the complete 7F term as basis rather than those involving only the 7F6 and 7F5 states, which are sufficient to account for the magnetic susceptibilities at higher temperatures.