Molecular Dynamics of Hexamethylbenzene at Low Temperatures: Evidence of Unconventional Magnetism Based on Rotational Motion of Protons

The types of magnetism known to date are all mainly based on contributions from electron motion. We show how rotational motion of protons (H⁺) within the methyl groups in hexamethylbenzene (C₆(CH₃)₆) also contribute significantly to the magnetic susceptibility. Starting from below 118 K, as the rotational motion of the methyl groups set in, an associated magnetic moment positive in nature due to charge of the protons renders the susceptibility to become anomalously dependent on temperature. Starting from 20 K, the susceptibility diverges with decreasing temperature indicative of spin–spin interactions between methyl groups aligned in a previously unclassified type of anti-ferromagnetic configuration. Complementary dielectric constant measurements also show the existence of magneto-dielectric coupling. Our findings allow for the study of strongly correlated systems that are based on a species that possesses much slower dynamics.