Macroscopic Structural Transition of Nickel Dithiolate Capsule with Uniaxial Magnetic Anisotropy in Water (Adv. Sci. 29/2025)

Macroscopic Structural Transition of Nickel Dithiolate Capsule The cover illustration depicts two capsules poised on an energy landscape, symbolizing the dynamic interconversion between thermodynamically stable and kinetically trapped states. These bilayer capsules are formed from amphiphilic open-shell planar molecules–d/π-conjugated nickel dithiolates–whose molecular spins interact anisotropically, giving rise to uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Remarkably stable in aqueous environments, the capsules undergo reversible, temperature-dependent structural transitions. To our knowledge, this is the first example of such macroscopic structural dynamic behavior in assemblies of open-shell planar molecules, showcasing the complex energy landscape and directional spin interactions inherent to soft molecular spin systems. More details can be found in article number 2504967 by Tomoko Fujino, Mafumi Hishida, and co-workers.