The reaction of metal fluoride (MF3 .nH2O) with carboxylic acids in the presence of the secondary amines with linear alkyl chains (R2NH) as a template and a source of a second metal (M’) leads to a large family of octanuclear heterometallic complexes with a wheel type structure (Fig.1) of general formula [R2NH2][M7M’F8(O2CCR’’)16] where M=V(III), Cr(III), Fe(III) and for M’ = Ni(II), Co(II), Mn(II), Fe(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Mg(II) ions [1,2]. There has been considerable interest in {Cr7M} rings for applications as diverse as olefin polymerisation catalysis [3], magnetic cooling [4], and quantum computing [5]. In this anti-ferromagnetic isostructural metallocyclic [R2NH2][M7M’F8(O2CCR’’)16] molecules a variety of ground states can be achieved. Also the anisotropy of the ground states can vary considerably and this creates a very large potential for studying the physics and the chemistry of such systems. The {Cr7Ni} wheel has a S=1/2 ground state, which is energetically well-separated from the first excited multiplet, has been studied in detail as a possible qubit [5]. The next step of our studies of these system was exploring the possibilities of linkage of two molecules with S=1/2. This allowed the study of conditioned dynamics of the magnetization of each molecule and thus let us examines the possibility of implementing quantum gates within molecular clusters. [ { P y C H 2N H 2 E t } { C r 7 N i F 8 ( O 2CCMe3 ) 16} ] (in short Py-Cr7Ni, where PyCH2NHEt = 4(ethylaminomethyl) pyridine) was synthesized, knowing that the ring will encapsulate the secondary ammonium group but leave the pyridine free to bind to further metal sites. To illustrate the potential of such approach we coordinated Py-Cr7Ni with several metal complexes. This gives structures containing metal dimers [{M2(O2CCMe3)4} {[PyCH2NH2Et][Cr7NiF8(O2CCMe3)16]}2] (M = Cu, Ni, Co), [6], or single metal ions, e.g. in [{Ni(NO3)2(OH2)2}{[PyCH2NH2Et][Cr7NiF8(O2CCMe3)16]}2] or [{Cu(NO3)2(OCMe2)}{[PyCH2NH2 Et] [Cr7NiF8(O2CCMe3)16]}2] (labeled (Cr7Ni)2Cu) depicted in Fig. 2. For practical exploitation of molecular spin systems the addressing of individual molecules is the most natural choice, and for this end the deposition of molecules on suitable surfaces becomes a fundamental step. For this purpose the derivatives of {Cr7Ni} wheels were modified in chemically two different ways: a) by modifying the ammonium group used to template the {Cr7Ni} ring and Fig.1[R2NH2][M7M’F8(O2CCMe3)16, where R= n-C3H7 Fig.2 Molecular structure of (Cr7Ni)2M, where M = Cu. 46 b) by replacing the pivalate ligands with functionalized carboxylates. Three new {Cr7Ni} rings, [NH2 nPr2][Cr7NiF8(3-tpc)16] (where 3-tpc =3-thiophenecarboxylate) (fig.3), [tBuNH2CH2CH2SH] [Cr7NiF8(O2CCMe3)16], and [HSC2H4NH3][Cr7NiF8(O2CCMe3)16] have been made and structurally characterized. They have been deposited from the liquid phase on Au(III) and the deposited molecules compared by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). In both cases a twodimensional distribution of individually accessible {Cr7Ni} heterometallic rings on gold surface has been obtained, exploiting the direct grafting of sulphur-functionalized clusters. A range of techniques will be discussed as applied to this unique family of molecules.figure 1Fig.1[R2NH2][M7M’F8(O2CCMe3)16, where R= n-C3H7figure 2Fig.2 Molecular structure of (Cr7Ni)2M, where M = Cufigure 3Fig.3 [NH2 nPr2][Cr7NiF8(3-tpc)16]