Luminescence and energy transfer in lu(3)al(5)o(12) scintillators co-doped with ce(3+) and tb(3+)

Lu(3)Al(5)O(12) (LuAG) doped with Ce(3+) is a promising scintillator material with a high density and a fast response time. The light output under X-ray or γ-ray excitation is, however, well below the theoretical limit. In this paper the influence of codoping with Tb(3+) is investigated with the aim to increase the light output. High resolution spectra of singly doped LuAG (with Ce(3+) or Tb(3+)) are reported and provide insight into the energy level structure of the two ions in LuAG. For Ce(3+) zero-phonon lines and vibronic structure are observed for the two lowest energy 5d bands and the Stokes' shift (2 350 cm(-1)) and Huang-Rhys coupling parameter (S = 9) have been determined. Tb(3+) 4f-5d transitions to the high spin (HS) and low spin (LS) states are observed (including a zero-phonon line and vibrational structure for the high spin state). The HS-LS splitting of 5400 cm(-1) is smaller than usually observed and is explained by a reduction of the 5d-4f exchange coupling parameter J by covalency. Upon replacing the smaller Lu(3+) ion with the larger Tb(3+) ion, the crystal field splitting for the lowest 5d states increases, causing the lowest 5d state to shift below the (5)D(4) state of Tb(3+) and allowing for efficient energy transfer from Tb(3+) to Ce(3+) down to the lowest temperatures. Luminescence decay measurements confirm efficient energy transfer from Tb(3+) to Ce(3+) and provide a qualitative understanding of the energy transfer process. Co-doping with Tb(3+) does not result in the desired increase in light output, and an explanation based on electron trapping in defects is discussed.     

Controlled intramolecular electron transfers in cyanide-bridged molecular squares by chemical modifications and external stimuli

A series of cyanide bridged Fe-Co molecular squares, [Co(2)Fe(2)(CN)(6)(tp*)(2)(dtbbpy)(4)](PF(6))(2)·2MeOH (1), [Co(2)Fe(2)(CN)(6)(tp*)(2)(bpy)(4)](PF(6))(2)·2MeOH (2), and [Co(2)Fe(2)(CN)(6)(tp)(2)(dtbbpy)(4)](PF(6))(2)·4H(2)O (3) (tp = hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)borate, tp* = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, bpy =2,2'-bipyridine, dtbbpy =4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine), were prepared by the reactions of [Fe(CN)(3)(L)](-) (L = tp or tp*) with Co(2+) and bidentate ligands (bpy or dtbbpy) in MeOH. In the molecular squares, Fe and Co ions are alternately bridged by cyanide ions, forming macrocyclic tetranuclear cores. Variable temperature X-ray structural analyses and magnetic susceptibility measurements confirmed that 1 exhibits two-step charge-transfer induced spin transitions (CTIST) centered at T(1/2) = 275 and 310 K in the solid state. The Fe and Co ions in 1 are the low-spin (LS) Fe(III) and high-spin (HS) Co(II) ions, described here in the high-temperature (HT) phase ([Fe(III)(LS2)Co(II)(HS2)]) at 330 K, while a low-temperature (LT) phase ([Fe(II)(LS2)Co(III)(LS2)]) with LS Fe(II) and Co(III) ions was dominant below 260 K. X-ray structural analysis revealed that in the intermediate (IM) phase at 298 K 1 exhibits positional ordering of [Fe(III)(LS2)Co(II)(HS2)] and [Fe(II)(LS2)Co(III)(LS2)] species with the 2:2 ratio. In photomagnetic experiments on 1, light-induced CTIST from the LT to the HT phase was observed by excitation of Fe(II) → Co(III) intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band at 5 K and the trapped HT phase thermally relaxed to the LT phase in a two-step fashion. On the other hand, 2 and 3 are in the HT and LT phases, respectively, throughout the entire temperature range measured, and no CTIST was observed. UV-vis-NIR absorption spectral measurements and cyclic voltammetry in solution revealed that the different electronic states in 1-3 are ascribable to the destabilization of iron and cobalt ion d-orbitals by the introduction of methyl and tert-butyl groups to the ligands tp and bpy, respectively. Temperature dependence of UV-vis-NIR spectra confirmed that 1 exhibited a one-step CTIST in butyronitrile, of which T(1/2) varied from 227 to 280 K upon the addition of trifluoroacetic acid.     

Observation of an Organic Acid Mediated Spin State Transition in a Co(II)-Schiff Base Complex: An EPR, HYSCORE, and DFT Study

The interactions of a weak organic acid (acetic acid, HOAc) with a toluene solution of the Co(II)-Schiff base type complex, (R,R')-N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexane-diamino Co(II) (labeled [Co(1)]), was investigated using EPR, HYSCORE, and DFT computations. This activated [Co(II)(1)] system is extremely important within the context of asymmetric catalysts (notably the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of epoxides) despite the lack of detailed structural information about the nature of the paramagnetic species present. Under anaerobic conditions, the LS [Co(II)(1)] complex with a |yz, (2)A(2)? ground state is converted into a low-spin (LS) and a high-spin (HS) complex in the presence of the acid. The newly formed LS state is assigned to the coordinated [Co(II)(1)]-(HOAc) complex, possessing a |z(2), (2)A(1)? ground state (species A; g(x) = 2.42, g(y) = 2.28, g(z) = 2.02, A(x) = 100, A(y) = 120, A(z) = 310 MHz). The newly formed HS state is assigned to an acetate coordinated [Co(II)(1)]-(OAc(-)) complex, possessing an S = (3)/(2) spin ground state (species B, responsible for a broad EPR signal with g ≈ 4.6). These spin ground states were confirmed with DFT calculations using the hybrid BP86 and B3LYP functionals. Under aerobic conditions, the LS and HS complexes (species A and B) are not observed; instead, a new HS complex (species C) is formed. This complex is tentatively assigned to a paramagnetic superoxo bridged dimer (AcO(-))[Co(II)(1)···O(2)(-)Co(III)(1)](HOAc), as distinct from the more common diamagnetic peroxo bridged dimers. Species C is characterized by a very broad HS EPR signal (g(x) = 5.1, g(y) = 3.9, g(z) = 2.1) and is reversibly formed by oxygenation of the LS [Co(II)(1)]-(HOAc) complex to the superoxo complex [Co(III)(1)O(2)(-)](HOAc), which subsequently forms the association complex C by interaction with the HS [Co(II)(1)](OAc(-)) species. The LS and HS complexes were also identified using other organic acids (benzoic and propanoic acid). Thermal annealing-quenching experiments revealed the additional presence of [Co(III)(1)O(2)(-)](HOAc) adducts, corroborating the presence of species C and the presence of diamagnetic dimer complexes in the solution, such as the EPR silent (HOAc)[Co(III)(1)(O(2)(2-))Co(III)(1)](HOAc). Overall, it appears that a facile interconversion of the [Co(1)] complex, possessing a LS ground state, occurs in the presence of acetic acid, producing both HS and LS Co(II) states, prior to formation of the oxidized active form of the catalyst, [Co(III)(1)](OAc(-)).     

Intermediate-spin state of a 3d ion in the octahedral environment and generalization of the Tanabe-Sugano diagrams

Electronic spectra of 3d(n) transition ions in an octahedral ligand surrounding have been studied using the modified crystal field approach (MCFA), which includes a relativistic spin-orbital interaction. A new variable parameter, the effective nuclear charge Z(eff) of a metal ion that allows accounting implicitly the covalence degree of a metal-ligand bond, has been introduced. Energy diagrams similar to the Tanabe-Sugano ones have been calculated. To study the spin state evolution of the metal ion in an arbitrary distorted octahedral complex, a spin state diagram approach has been proposed. The intermediate-spin (IS) state problem for 3d(4), 3d(5), and 3d(6) metal ions has been considered and conditions for the IS state realization have been formulated. The regions of the mixed high-, intermediate-, and low-spin states have been found. The possibility of coexistence of the different spin states of 3d ions in the octahedral complexes has been considered using crystallography data for the YBaCo(2)O(5.5) layered cobaltite.     

LaCoO3 acting as an efficient and robust catalyst for photocatalytic water oxidation with persulfate

Cobalt-containing metal oxides [perovskites (LaCoO(3), NdCoO(3), YCoO(3), La(0.7)Sr(0.3)CoO(3)), spinel (Co(3)O(4)) and wolframite (CoWO(4))] have been examined as catalysts for photocatalytic water oxidation with Na(2)S(2)O(8) and [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) as an electron acceptor and a photosensitizer, respectively. Catalysts with the perovskite structure exhibited higher catalytic activity as compared with the catalysts with the spinel and wolframite structures. LaCoO(3), which stabilizes Co(III) species in the perovskite structure, exhibited the highest catalytic activity in the photocatalytic water oxidation compared with CoWO(4), Co(3)O(4) and La(0.7)Sr(0.3)CoO(3) which contain Co(II) or Co(IV) species in the matrices. The high catalytic reactivity of LaCoO(3) possessing perovskite structure was maintained in NdCoO(3) and YCoO(3) which exclusively contain Co(III) species. Thus, the catalytic activity of Co ions can be controlled by the additional metal ions, which leads to development of highly reactive and robust catalysts for the photocatalytic water oxidation.     

Thermal and Light-Induced Spin Transition in the High- and Low-Temperature Structure of [Fe(0.35)Ni(0.65)(mtz)(6)](ClO(4))(2)

The thermal and light induced spin transition in [Fe(0.35)Ni(0.65)(mtz)(6)](ClO(4))(2) (mtz = 1-methyl-1H-tetrazole) was studied by (57)Fe M?ssbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. In addition to the spin transition of the iron(II) complexes the compound undergoes a structural phase transition. The high-temperature structure could be determined by X-ray crystallography of the isomorphous [Fe(0.25)Ni(0.75)(mtz)(6)](ClO(4))(2) complex at room temperature. The X-ray structural analysis shows this complex to be rhombohedric, space group R&thremacr;, with a = 10.865(2) ? and c = 23.65(1) ? with three molecules in the unit cell. The transition to the low-temperature structure occurs at approximately 60 K without changing the spin state of the molecules. By subsequent heating of the complex the high-temperature structure is reached again between ca. 170 and 200 K. The spin transition behavior is strongly influenced by the structural changes, and the observed spin transition curves are completely different for the high- and low-temperature phases. In the high-temperature structure a complete and gradual spin transition between 220 and 120 K (T(1/2)(gamma(HS) = 0.5) = 185 K) is detected; the high-spin (HS) state is represented by one HS doublet in the M?ssbauer spectra. In the low-temperature structure a two-step transition curve is detected in the heating mode. About 36% of the molecules show a LS (low-spin) --> HS transition between ca 50 and 75 K. Then the HS fraction stays constant up to 150 K. A further increase in the high-spin fraction is observed at temperatures above 150 K. In this structural phase the HS state is represented by two different HS doublets in the M?ssbauer spectra. The formation of metastable HS states by making use of the LIESST effect is only possible in the low-temperature structure. By excitation of the LS molecules with green light, two different HS states are populated which show very different relaxation behavior. One HS state shows a relaxation to the LS state even at 10 K; the other HS state shows a very slow HS --> LS relaxation at 60 K (within days), leading to the HS fraction corresponding to the thermal equilibrium value.     

Molecular structure and dynamics of off-center Cu(2+) ions and strongly coupled Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) pairs in BaF(2) crystals: electron paramagnetic resonance and electron spin relaxation studies

X-band and Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of Cu(2+) in BaF(2) crystal were recorded in the temperature range of 4.2-200 K. Spin-Hamiltonian parameters of single Cu(2+) complexes and of Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) pairs were derived and discussed. A special attention was paid to the dimeric species. Their molecular ground state configuration was found as having antiferromagnetic intradimer coupling with the singlet-triplet splitting J=-35 cm(-1). The zero-field splitting being D=0.0365 cm(-1) at 4.2 K increases with temperature as an effect of thermal population of excited dimer configurations. Electron spin echo (ESE) method was used for measurements of electron spin lattice and phase relaxation. The spin-lattice relaxation data show that except for coupling to the host lattice phonons the Cu(2+) ions are involved in local mode motions with energy of 82 cm(-1). Phase relaxation (ESE dephasing) of single Cu(2+) ions is due to spin diffusion at low temperatures. This relaxation is hampered for temperatures higher than 30 K due to the triplet state population of neighboring Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) dimers, which disturb dipolar coupling between Cu(2+) ions. For higher temperatures the relaxation is dominated by Raman T(1) processes. Fourier transform ESE spectrum displays dipolar Cu-F splitting which allowed determination of the off-center shift of Cu(2+) as delta(s)=0.132 nm. The dynamical effects observed in EPR spectra and in electron spin relaxation both for single Cu(2+) ions and Cu(2+)-Cu(2+) pairs are discussed as due to jumps between six off-center positions in the crystal unit cell and jumps between various dimer configurations.     

Electronic relaxation phenomena following (57)Co(EC)(57)Fe nuclear decay in [Mn(II)(terpy)2](ClO4)2.(1/2)H2O and in the spin crossover complexes [Co(II)(terpy)2]X2.nH2O (X = Cl and ClO4): a Mössbauer emission spectroscopic study

The valence states of the nucleogenic (57)Fe arising from the nuclear disintegration of radioactive (57)Co by electron capture decay, (57)Co(EC)(57)Fe, have been studied by M?ssbauer emission spectroscopy (MES) in the (57)Co-labeled systems: [(57)Co/Co(terpy)(2)]Cl(2).5H(2)O (1), [(57)Co/Co(terpy)(2)](ClO(4))(2).(1)/(2)H(2)O (2), and [(57)Co/Mn(terpy)(2)](ClO(4))(2). (1)/(2)H(2)O (3) (terpy = 2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine). The compounds 1, 2, and 3 were labeled with ca. 1 mCi of (57)Co and were used as the M?ssbauer sources at variable temperatures between 300 K and ca. 4 K. [Fe(terpy)(2)]X(2) is a diamagnetic low-spin (LS) complex, independent of the nature of the anion X, while [Co(terpy)(2)]X(2) complexes show gradual spin transition as the temperature is varied. The Co(II) ion in 1 "feels" a somewhat stronger ligand field than that in 2; as a result, 83% of 1 stays in the LS state at 321 K, while in 2 the high-spin (HS) state dominates at 320 K and converts gradually to the LS state with a transition temperature of T(1/2) approximately 180 K. Variable-temperature M?ssbauer emission spectra for 1, 2, and 3 showed only LS-(57)Fe(II) species at 295 K. On lowering the temperature, metastable HS Fe(II) species generated by the (57)Co(EC)(57)Fe process start to grow at ca. 100 K in 1, at ca. 200 K in 2, and at ca. 250 K in 3, reaching maximum values of 0.3 at 20 K in 1, 0.8 at 50 K in 2, and 0.86 at 100 K in 3, respectively. The lifetime of the metastable HS states correlates with the local ligand field strength, and this is in line with the "inverse energy gap law" already successfully applied in LIESST relaxation studies.     

Magnetism,optical absorbance,and 19F NMR spectra of nafion films with self‐assembling paramagnetic networks

Magnetization, optical absorbance, and ¹⁹F NMR spectra of Nafion transparent films as received and doped with Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe²⁺, and Fe³⁺ ions with and without treatment in 1H‐1,2,4‐triazole (trz) have been studied. Doping of Nafion with Fe²⁺ and Co²⁺ and their bridging to nitrogen of triazole yields a hybrid self‐assembling paramagnetic system that exhibits interesting magnetic and optical properties. These include spin crossover phenomena between high‐spin (HS) and low‐spin (LS) states in Nafion‐Fe²⁺‐trz and Nafion‐Co²⁺‐trz accompanied by thermochromic effects in the visible range induced by temperature. A large shift of the magnetization curve induced by a magnetic field in the vicinity of the HS ? LS, ～220 K, observed for Nafion‐Fe²⁺‐trz has a rate of ～6 K/kOe, which is about three orders of magnitude larger than that in bulk spin crossover Fe²⁺ materials. Selective response of ¹⁹F NMR signals on doping with paramagnetic ions demonstrates that NMR can be used as spatially resolved method to study Nafion film with paramagnetic network. Both chemical shift and width of ¹⁹F NMR signals show that SO groups of Nafion, Fe or Co ions, and nitrogen of triazole are bonded whereas they form a spin crossover system. Based on a model of nanosize cylinders proposed for Nafion [K. Schmidt‐Rohr and Q. Chen, Nat Mater (2008), 75], we suggest that paramagnetic ions are located inside these cylinders, forming self‐assembling magnetically and optically active nanoscale networks. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 50: 129–138, 2012     

Extension of the experimental electron density analysis to metastable states: a case example of the spin crossover complex Fe(btr)2(NCS)2.H2O

An experimental electron density (ED) analysis of the spin crossover coordination complex Fe(btr)(2)(NCS)(2).H(2)O has been performed in the ground low-spin (LS) state and in the metastable thermally quenched high-spin (HS) state at 15 K by fitting a multipolar model to high-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements. The ED has been quantitatively analyzed using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules. This is the first time the ED distribution of a molecular metastable state has been experimentally investigated. The electron deformation densities and derived Fe 3d orbital populations are characteristic of LS (t(2g)(6) e(g)(0)) and HS (t(2g)(4) e(g)(2)) electron configurations and indicate significant sigma donation to the Fe d(x)2(-)(y)2 and d(z)2 atomic orbitals. The Fe-N(NCS) and Fe-N(btr) coordination interactions are characterized using the laplacian distribution of the ED, the molecular electrostatic potential, and the fragment charges obtained by integration over the topological atomic basins. A combination of electrostatic and covalent contributions to these interactions is pointed out. Interlayer interactions are evidenced by the presence of bond critical points in N...H hydrogen bonds involving the non-coordinated water molecule. Systematic differences in the atomic displacement parameters between the LS and HS states have been described and rationalized in terms of modifications of bond force constants.     

Structural Investigation of the High Spin→Low Spin Relaxation Dynamics of the Porous Coordination Network [Fe(pz)Pt(CN)4]⋅2.6 H2O

The Hoffman‐type coordination compound [Fe(pz)Pt(CN)₄] ? 2.6 H₂O (pz=pyrazine) shows a cooperative thermal spin transition at around 270 K. Synchrotron powder X‐Ray diffraction studies reveal that a quantitative photoinduced conversion from the low‐spin (LS) state into the high‐spin (HS) state, based on the light‐induced excited spin‐state trapping effect, can be achieved at 10 K in a microcrystalline powder. Time‐resolved measurements evidence that the HS→LS relaxation proceeds by a two‐step mechanism: a random HS→LS conversion at the beginning of the relaxation is followed by a nucleation and growth process, which proceeds until a quantitative HS→LS transformation has been reached.     

Density functional theory analysis of the interplay between Jahn-Teller instability, uniaxial magnetism, spin arrangement, metal-metal interaction, and spin-orbit coupling in Ca3CoMO6 (M = Co, Rh, Ir)

In the isostructural oxides Ca(3)CoMO(6) (M = Co, Rh, Ir), the CoMO(6) chains made up of face-sharing CoO(6) trigonal prisms and MO(6) octahedra are separated by Ca atoms. We analyzed the magnetic and electronic properties of these oxides on the basis of density functional theory calculations including on-site repulsion and spin-orbit coupling, and examined the essential one-electron pictures hidden behind results of these calculations. Our analysis reveals an intimate interplay between Jahn-Teller instability, uniaxial magnetism, spin arrangement, metal-metal interaction, and spin-orbit coupling in governing the magnetic and electronic properties of these oxides. These oxides undergo a Jahn-Teller distortion, but their distortions are weak, so that their trigonal-prism Co(n+) (n = 2, 3) ions still give rise to strong easy-axis anisotropy along the chain direction. As for the d-state split pattern of these ions, the electronic and magnetic properties of Ca(3)CoMO(6) (M = Co, Rh, Ir) are consistent with d(0) < (d(2), d(-2)) < (d(1), d(-1)) but not with (d(2), d(-2)) < d(0) < (d(1), d(-1)). The trigonal-prism Co(3+) ion in Ca(3)Co(2)O(6) has the L = 2 configuration (d(0))(1)(d(2), d(-2))(3)(d(1), d(-1))(2) because of the metal-metal interaction between adjacent Co(3+) ions in each Co(2)O(6) chain, which is mediated by their z(2) orbitals, and the spin-orbit coupling of the trigonal-prism Co(3+) ion. The spins in each CoMO(6) chain of Ca(3)CoMO(6) prefer the ferromagnetic arrangement for M = Co and Rh but the antiferromagnetic arrangement for M = Ir. The octahedral M(4+) ion of Ca(3)CoMO(6) has the (1a)(1)(1e)(4) configuration for M = Rh but the (1a)(2)(1e)(3) configuration for M = Ir, which arises from the difference in the spin-orbit coupling of the M(4+) ions and the Co···M metal-metal interactions.     

Structural investigations on sodium-lead borophosphate glasses doped with vanadyl ions

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), optical absorption, and FT-IR spectra of vanadyl ions in the sodium-lead borophosphate (Na(2)O-PbO-B(2)O(3)-P(2)O(5)) (SLBP) glass system have been studied. EPR spectra of all the glass samples exhibit resonance signals characteristic of VO(2+) ions. The spin Hamiltonian parameters g and A are found to be independent of the V(2)O(5) content and temperature. The values of the spin Hamiltonian parameters indicate that the VO(2+) ions in SLBP glasses are present in octahedral sites with tetragonal compression. The population difference between Zeeman levels (N) is calculated as a function of temperature for an SLBP glass sample containing 1.0 mol % VO(2+) ions. From the EPR data, the paramagnetic susceptibility (χ) is calculated at different temperatures, and the Curie constant (C) is calculated from the 1/χ versus T graph. The optical absorption spectra of the glass samples show two absorption bands, and they are attributed to V(3+) and V(4+) ions. The optical band gap energy (E(opt)) and Urbach energy (ΔE) are calculated from their ultraviolet absorption edges. It is observed that, as the vanadium ion concentration increases, E(opt) decreases and ΔE increases. The study of the IR absorption spectrum depicts the presence of BO(3), BO(4), PO(3), PO(4), and VO(5) structural units.     

Anomalous Light‐Induced Spin‐State Switching for Iron(II) Spin‐Crossover Molecules in Direct Contact with Metal Surfaces

Light‐induced spin‐state switching is one of the most attractive properties of spin‐crossover materials. In bulk, low‐spin (LS) to high‐spin (HS) conversion via the light‐induced excited spin‐state trapping (LIESST) effect may be achieved with a visible light, while the HS‐to‐LS one (reverse‐LIESST) requires an excitation in the near‐infrared range. Now, it is shown that those phenomena are strongly modified at the interface with a metal. Indeed, an anomalous spin conversion is presented from HS state to LS state under blue light illumination for Fe^II spin‐crossover molecules that are in direct contact with metallic (111) single‐crystal surfaces (copper, silver, and gold). To interpret this anomalous spin‐state switching, a new mechanism is proposed for the spin conversion based on the light absorption by the substrate that can generate low energy valence photoelectrons promoting molecular vibrational excitations and subsequent spin‐state switching at the molecule–metal interface.     

Cooperative thermal and optical switching of spin states in a new two-dimensional coordination polymer

(Fe(pmd)2[Cu(CN)2]2) (pmd = pyrimidine) displays a rigid two-dimensional structure and undergoes thermal- and optical-driven spin crossover behaviour; cooperative elastic coupling between iron(II) ions in the framework induces thermal hysteresis in the HS <--> LS conversion and sigmoidal HS --> LS relaxation of the photo-induced HS state at low temperatures.     

Cobalt complexes with "Click"-derived functional tripodal ligands: spin crossover and coordination ambivalence

We demonstrate the use of a Cu(I) catalyzed "Click" reaction in the synthesis of novel ligands for spin crossover complexes. The reaction between azides and alkynes was used to synthesize the reported tripodal ligand tris[(1-benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]amine, TBTA, and the new ligands tris[(1-cyclohexyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]amine, TCTA, and tris[(1-n-butyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]amine, TBuTA. Reactions of TBTA with Co(ClO(4))(2) lead to complexes of the form [Co(TBTA)(CH(3)CN)(3)](ClO(4))(2), 1, and [Co(TBTA)(2)](ClO(4))(2), 2, where complex formation can be controlled by the metal/ligand ratio and the complexes 1 and 2 can be chemically and reversibly switched from one form to another in solution resulting in coordination ambivalence. The benzyl substituents of TBTA in 2 show intramolecular C-H-π T-stacking that generates a chemical pressure to stabilize the low spin (LS) state at lower temperatures. The structural parameters of 2 are consistent with a Jahn-Teller active LS Co(II) (elongation) ion showing four short and two long bonds. 2 shows spin-crossover (SCO) behavior in the solid state and in solution with a high T(0) close to room temperature which is driven by the T-stacking. 1 remains high spin (HS) between 2 and 400 K. Reversible chemical switching is observed between 1 and 2 at room temperature, with an accompanying change in the spin state from HS to LS. The importance of the intramolecular T-stacking in driving the SCO behavior is proven by comparison with two analogous compounds that lack an aromatic substituent and remain HS down to very low temperatures.     

Electronic polarizability and Judd-Ofelt parameters of Nd3+ and Er3+ ions in transparent crystallized glasses with nonlinear optical Ba2 TiSi2O8 nanocrystals

Transparent crystallized glasses consisting of nonlinear optical Ba(2)TiSi(2)O(8) nanocrystals are prepared in Eu(2)O(3)-, Nd(2)O(3)-, and Er(2)O(3)-doped 40BaO-20TiO(2)-40SiO(2) glasses by a conventional heat treatment method in order to clarify the optical properties of rare-earth (RE) ions in nanocrystals. The electronic polarizabilities of crystallized glasses are evaluated from the values of density and refractive index, and are found to decrease due to nanocrystallization, which indicates that the chemical bonding state in the crystallized glasses is more covalent compared to the precursor glasses. It is proposed from x-ray diffraction analyses and photoluminescence spectra of Eu(3+) ions that RE ions such as Nd(3+) and Eu(3+) are incorporated into Ba(2)TiSi(2)O(8) nanocrystals. The Judd-Ofelt parameters, Omega(t) (t=2, 4, and 6), of Nd(3+) and Er(3+) ions are evaluated from optical absorption spectra. It is observed that the Omega(2) parameter of Nd(3+) and Er(3+) increases largely due to nanocrystallization, suggesting that the site symmetry of Nd(3+) and Er(3+) ions in nanocrystallized glasses is largely distorted due to their incorporations into the Ba(2+) sites in Ba(2)TiSi(2)O(8) nanocrystals. The change in the Omega(4) and Omega(6) parameters due to nanocrystallization is small. It is proposed that nonlinear optical Ba(2)TiSi(2)O(8) nanocrystals including RE ions would have a high potential as active optical materials.     

Effect of Bi2O3 addition on electron paramagnetic resonance, optical absorption, and conductivity in vanadyl-doped Li2O-K2O-Bi2O3-B2O3 glasses

Glasses with composition 15Li(2)O-15K(2)O-xBi(2)O(3)-(65 - x)-B(2)O(3)/5V(2)O(5) (3 ≤ x ≤ 15) have been prepared by the conventional melt quench technique. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of VO(2+) in these glasses have been recorded in the X-band frequency (≈9.3 GHz) at room temperature. The spin Hamiltonian parameters and covalency rates were evaluated. It was found that the V(4+) ions exist as vanadyl (VO(2+)) ions and are in an octahedral coordination with a tetragonal compression. The covalency rates (1 - α(2)) and (1 - γ(2)) indicate moderate covalency for the σ- and π-bonds. It was observed that the spin-Hamiltonian parameters depend slightly on the relative concentration of Bi(2)O(3). The optical properties of this glass system are studied from the optical absorption spectra recorded in the wavelength range 200-800 nm. The fundamental absorption edge has been identified from the optical absorption spectra. The values of optical band gap for indirect allowed transitions have been determined using available theories. The direct current electrical conductivity, σ, has been measured in the temperature range 373-573 K. The conductivity decreases with the increase in Bi(2)O(3) concentration. This has been discussed in terms of the decrease in the number of mobile ions and their mobility. An attempt is made to correlate the EPR, optical, and electrical results and to find the effect of Bi(2)O(3) content on these parameters.     

A Trinuclear Defect‐Grid Iron(II) Spin Crossover Complex with a Large Hysteresis Loop that is Readily Silenced by Solvent Vapor

A new type of [2×2] matrix‐like complexes with one vertex devoid of a metal ion has been selectively synthesized. The defect‐grid triiron(II) complex exhibits a sharp and complete spin‐crossover (SCO) from the 1HS‐2LS to the 2HS‐1LS state (HS: high spin; LS: low spin) with wide hysteresis near room temperature. Although the “structurally soft” H‐bonded vertex, elastically coupled to the metal ions, accounts for the stabilization of spin states, it also mediates a dramatic, yet reversible, response to the uptake of exogenous solvent molecules leading to silencing of the SCO. The high sensitivity towards those guest molecules, the short response time upon exposure, and the smooth reversibility of guest binding are favorable characteristics for future sensing applications of such defect grids.     

Synthesis, magnetic and photomagnetic study of new iron(II) spin-crossover complexes with N₄O₂ coordination sphere

A new family of neutral mononuclear iron(II) spin crossover (SCO) compounds, Fe(L1??)? (L1?? = N'-((pyridin-2-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide (HL1), N'-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene)-benzohydrazide (HL2), N'-(phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide (HL3), 2-hydroxy-N'-((pyridin-2-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide (HL?), 2-hydroxy-N'-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene)benzohydrazide (HL?), 2-hydroxy-N'-(phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide (HL?)) with N?O? donor sets have been synthesized from series tridentate Schiff base ligands with N,N,O donor sets. The investigation of magnetic properties of these compounds reveal that in the measured temperature range, compound 1 is in the high-spin (HS) state, and compound 3 and 6 are mainly in the low-spin (LS) state, whereas the other compounds exhibit various SCO properties: compound 2 undergoes a gradual incomplete SCO with characteristic temperature T(1/2) higher than 350 K; compound 4 exhibits a special stepwise thermally induced SCO occurring at ~150 K (smooth) and 200 K (two-steps, with T(S1↑/↓) = 204/202 K and T(S2↑/↓) = 227/219 K) with a mixture of the HS and LS states yielded below 100 K; compound 5 shows a gradual and complete LS?HS SCO with characteristic temperature T(1/2) = 273 K. All the three SCO compounds show the LIESST (light induced exited spin state trapping) effect with different levels of photoconversion. To thoroughly analyze these behaviours, M?ssbauer spectra and DSC of 4 and 5, crystal structures of all the compounds at 290 K and 5 in the LS state at 110 K were carried out, which confirmed the structural changes accompanying the spin transition. In addition, alkyl substitution effect on the ligand field was suggested for this system.