A Spin‐Crossover Cluster of Iron(II) Exhibiting a Mixed‐Spin Structure and Synergy between Spin Transition and Magnetic Interaction

How low can you go? An Fe^II₄ square was prepared by self‐assembly and exhibits both thermally induced and photoinduced spin crossover from a system with four high‐spin (HS) centers to one with two high‐spin and two low‐spin (LS) centers. The spin‐crossover sites are located on the same side of the square, and the spin transition and magnetic interactions (see picture) are synergistically coupled.

     

Cover Picture: A Spin‐Crossover Cluster of Iron(II) Exhibiting a Mixed‐Spin Structure and Synergy between Spin Transition and Magnetic Interaction (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 8/2009)

A spin‐crossover cluster with the {Fe^II₄O₄} core structure is presented by D. Y. Wu, O. Sato et al. in their Communication on page 1475 ff. The cluster is synthesized by self‐assembly and shows an abrupt spin transition, giving two high‐spin and two low‐spin states. It exhibits complete light‐induced excited spin‐state trapping effects. Importantly, synergy effects between the magnetic interaction and spin transition operate in the cluster.

     

Guest-Dependent Pressure-Induced Spin Crossover in FeII4[MIV(CN)8]2 (M=Mo,W) Cluster-Based Material Showing Persistent Solvent-Driven Structural Transformations

Discrete molecular species that can perform certain functions in response to multiple external stimuli constitute a special class of multifunctional molecular materials called smart molecules. Herein, cyanido-bridged coordination clusters {[Fe^II(2-pyrpy)₂]₄[M^IV(CN)₈]₂} ⋅ 4 MeOH ⋅ 6 H₂O (M=Mo ( 1 solv ), M=W ( 2 solv ) and 2-pyrpy=2-(1-pyrazolyl)pyridine are presented, which show persistent solvent driven single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations upon sorption/desorption of water and methanol molecules. Three full desolvation–resolvation cycles with the concomitant change of the host molecules do not damage the single crystals. More importantly, the Fe₄M₂ molecules constitute a unique example where the presence of the guests directly affects the pressure-induced thermal spin crossover (SCO) phenomenon occurring at the Fe^II centres. The hydrated phases show a partial SCO with approximately two out-of-four Fe^II centres undergoing a gradual thermal SCO at 1 GPa, while in the anhydrous form the pressure-induced SCO effect is almost quenched with only 15 % of the Fe^II centres undergoing high-spin to low-spin transition at 1 GPa.     

Two‐Step Thermal Spin Transition and LIESST Relaxation of the Polymeric Spin‐Crossover Compounds Fe(X‐py)2[Ag(CN)2]2 (X=H, 3‐methyl, 4‐methyl, 3,4‐dimethyl, 3‐Cl)

In the series of polymeric spin‐crossover compounds Fe(X‐py)₂[Ag(CN)₂)]₂ (py=pyridine, X=H, 3‐Cl, 3‐methyl, 4‐methyl, 3,4‐dimethyl), magnetic and calorimetric measurements have revealed that the conversion from the high‐spin (HS) to the low‐spin (LS) state occurs by two‐step transitions for three out of five members of the family (X=H, 4‐methyl, and X=3,4‐dimethyl). The two other compounds (X=3‐Cl and 3‐methyl) show respectively an incomplete spin transition and no transition at all, the latter remaining in the HS state in the whole temperature range. The spin‐crossover behaviour of the compound undergoing two‐step transitions is well described by a thermodynamic model that considers both steps. Calculations with this model show low cooperativity in this type of systems. Reflectivity and photomagnetic experiments reveal that all of the compounds except that with X=3‐methyl undergo light‐induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) at low temperatures. Isothermal HS‐to‐LS relaxation curves at different temperatures support the low‐cooperativity character by following an exponential decay law, although in the thermally activated regime and for aX=H and X=3,4‐dimethyl the behaviour is well described by a double exponential function in accordance with the two‐step thermal spin transition. The thermodynamic parameters determined from this isothermal analysis were used for simulation of thermal relaxation curves, which nicely reproduce the experimental data.     

Low‐Spin Pseudotetrahedral Iron(I) Sites in Fe2(μ‐S) Complexes

Fe^I centers in iron–sulfide complexes have little precedent in synthetic chemistry despite a growing interest in the possible role of unusually low valent iron in metalloenzymes that feature iron–sulfur clusters. A series of three diiron [(L₃Fe)₂(μ‐S)] complexes that were isolated and characterized in the low‐valent oxidation states Fe^II? S? Fe^II, Fe^II? S? Fe^I, and Fe^I? S? Fe^I is described. This family of iron sulfides constitutes a unique redox series comprising three nearly isostructural but electronically distinct Fe₂(μ‐S) species. Combined structural, magnetic, and spectroscopic studies provided strong evidence that the pseudotetrahedral iron centers undergo a transition to low‐spin S=1/2 states upon reduction from Fe^II to Fe^I. The possibility of accessing low‐spin, pseudotetrahedral Fe^I sites compatible with S^2? as a ligand was previously unknown.     

Triangular Nickel Complexes Derived from 2‐Pyridylcyanoxime: An Approach to the Magnetic Properties of the [Ni3(μ3‐OH){pyC(R)NO}3]2+ Core

A series of nickel complexes with nuclearity ranging from Ni₃ to Ni₆ have been obtained by treatment of a variety of nickel salts with the 2‐pyridylcyanoxime ligand. The reported compounds have as a common structural feature the triangular arrangement of nickel cations bridged by a central μ₃‐oxo/alkoxo ligand. These compounds are simultaneously the first nickel derivatives of the 2‐pyridylcyanoxime ligand and the first examples of isolated, μ₃‐O triangular pyridyloximate nickel complexes. Magnetic measurements reveal antiferromagnetic interactions promoted by the μ₃‐O and oximato superexchange pathways and comparison of the experimental structural and magnetic data with DFT calculations give an in‐depth explanation of the factors that determine the magnetic interaction in this kind of system.     

FeII Spin‐Crossover Phenomenon in the Pentadecanuclear {Fe9[Re(CN)8]6} Spherical Cluster

The self‐assembly of iron(II) ions with rare octacyanidorhenate(V) metalloligands in a methanolic solution results in the formation of a nanometric pentadecanuclear {Fe^II₉[Re^V(CN)₈]₆(MeOH)₂₄}?10 MeOH ( 1 ) molecule with a six‐capped body‐centered cubic topology. The cluster demonstrates a thermally‐induced spin‐crossover phase transition at T_1/2=195 K which occurs selectively for a single Fe^II ion embedded in the center of a cluster core.     

Protonation of an Oxo‐Bridged Diiron Unit Gives Two Different Iron Centers: Synthesis and Structure of a New Class of Diiron(III)‐μ‐hydroxo Bisporphyrins and the Control of Spin States by Using Counterions

Reported herein is a hitherto unknown family of diiron(III)‐μ‐hydroxo bisporphyrins in which two different spin states of Fe are stabilized in a single molecular framework, although both cores have identical molecular structures. Protonation of the oxo‐bridged dimer ( 2 ) by using strong Brønsted acids, such as HI, HBF₄, and HClO₄, produce red μ‐hydroxo complexes with I₃^? ( 3 ), BF₄^? ( 4 ), and ClO₄^? ( 5 ) counterions, respectively. The X‐ray structure of the molecule reveals that the Fe? O bond length increases on going from the μ‐oxo to the hydroxo complex, whereas the Fe‐O(H)‐Fe unit becomes more bent, which results in the smallest known Fe‐O(H)‐Fe angles of 142.5(2) and 141.2(1)° for 3 and 5 , respectively. In contrast, the Fe‐O(H)‐Fe angle remains unaltered in 4 from the corresponding μ‐oxo complex. The close approach of two rings in a molecule results in unequal core deformations in 3 and 4 , whereas the cores are deformed almost equally but to a lesser extent in 5 . Although 3 was found to have nearly high‐spin and admixed intermediate Fe spin states in cores I and II, respectively, two admixed intermediate spin states were observed in 4 . Even though the cores have identical chemical structures, crucial bond parameters, such as the Fe? N_p, Fe? O, and Fe???Ct_p bond lengths and the ring deformations, are all different between the two Fe^III centers in 3 and 4 , which leads to an eventual stabilization of two different spin states of Fe in each molecule. In contrast, the two Fe centers in 5 are equivalent and assigned to high and intermediate spin states in the solid and solution states, respectively. The spin states are thus found to be dependent on the counterions and can also be reversibly interconverted. Upon protonation, the strong antiferromagnetic coupling in the μ‐oxo dimer (J, ?126.6 cm^?1) is attenuated to almost zero in the μ‐hydroxo complex with the I₃^? counterion, whereas the values of J are ?36 and ?42 cm^?1, respectively, for complexes with BF₄^? and ClO₄^? counterions.     

Synthesis of Well‐Defined Bicapped Octahedral Iron Clusters [(trenL)2Fe8(PMe2Ph)2]n (n=0, −1)

The synthesis of polynuclear clusters with control over size and cluster geometry remains an unsolved challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of open‐shell octairon clusters supported by two heptaamine ligands [o‐H₂NC₆H₄NH(CH₂)₂]₃N (^trenLH₉). The crystal structure of the all‐ferrous species ([^trenL)₂Fe₈(PMe₂Ph)₂] ( 1 ) displays a bicapped octahedral geometry with Fe? Fe distances ranging from 2.4071(6) to 2.8236(5) Å, where the ligand amine units are formally in amine, amide, and imide oxidation states. Several redox states of the octairon cluster are accessible, as ascertained using cyclic voltammetry. The one‐electron‐reduced clusters [M]⁺[(^trenL)₂Fe₈(PMe₂Ph)₂]^? (M=Bu₄N ( 2 a ); (15‐crown‐5)Na(thf) ( 2 b )) were isolated and characterized. Variable‐temperature magnetic susceptibility data indicates that the exchange coupling within the [Fe₈] core is antiferromagnetic which is attenuated upon reduction to the mixed valent anion.     

Ultrafast Deactivation Mechanism of the Excited Singlet in the Light‐Induced Spin Crossover of [Fe(2,2′‐bipyridine)3]2+

The mechanism of the light‐induced spin crossover of the [Fe(bpy)₃]²⁺ complex (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) has been studied by combining accurate electronic‐structure calculations and time‐dependent approaches to calculate intersystem‐crossing rates. We investigate how the initially excited metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) singlet state deactivates to the final metastable high‐spin state. Although ultrafast X‐ray free‐electron spectroscopy has established that the total timescale of this process is on the order of a few tenths of a picosecond, the details of the mechanisms still remain unclear. We determine all the intermediate electronic states along the pathway from low spin to high spin and give estimates for the deactivation times of the different stages. The calculations result in a total deactivation time on the same order of magnitude as the experimentally determined rate and indicate that the complex can reach the final high‐spin state by means of different deactivation channels. The optically populated excited singlet state rapidly decays to a triplet state with an Fe d⁶(${{\rm t}{{5\hfill \atop {\rm 2g}\hfill}}}$ ${{\rm e}{{1\hfill \atop {\rm g}\hfill}}}$ ) configuration either directly or by means of a triplet MLCT state. This triplet ligand‐field state could in principle decay directly to the final quintet state, but a much faster channel is provided by internal conversion to a lower‐lying triplet state and subsequent intersystem crossing to the high‐spin state. The deactivation rate to the low‐spin ground state is much smaller, which is in line with the large quantum yield reported for the process.     

Study of the Light‐Induced Spin Crossover Process of the [FeII(bpy)3]2+ Complex

Ab initio calculations have been performed on [Fe^II(bpy)₃]²⁺ (bpy=bipyridine) to establish the variation of the energy of the electronic states relevant to light‐induced excited‐state spin trapping as a function of the Fe? ligand distance. Light‐induced spin crossover takes place after excitation into the singlet metal‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer (MLCT) band. We found that the corresponding electronic states have their energy minimum in the same region as the low‐spin (LS) state and that the energy dependence of the triplet MLCT states are nearly identical to the ¹MLCT states. The high‐spin (HS) state is found to cross the MLCT band near the equilibrium geometry of the MLCT states. These findings give additional support to the hypothesis of a fast singlet–triplet interconversion in the MLCT manifold, followed by a ³MLCT–HS (⁵T₂) conversion accompanied by an elongation of the Fe? N distance.     

Spin Frustration in a Family of Pillared Kagomé Layers of High‐Spin Cobalt(II) Ions

Based on the analogous kagomé [Co₃(imda)₂] layers (imda=imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylate), a family of pillar‐layered frameworks with the formula of [Co₃(imda)₂(L)₃] ? (L)_n ? xH₂O ( 1 : L=pyrazine, n=0, x=8; 2 : L=4,4′‐bipyridine, n=1, x=8; 3 : L=1,4‐di(pyridin‐4‐yl)benzene, n=1, x=13; 4 : L=4,4′‐di(pyridin‐4‐yl)‐1,1′‐biphenyl, n=1, x=14) have been successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal/solvothermal method. Single‐crystal structural analysis shows a significant increase in the interlayer distances synchronized with the extension of the pillar ligands, namely, 7.092(3) ( 1 ), 10.921(6) ( 2 ), 14.780(5) ( 3 ), and 19.165(4) Å ( 4 ). Despite the wrinkled kagomé layers in complexes 2 – 4 , comprehensive magnetic characterizations revealed weakening of interlayer magnetic interactions and an increase in the degree of frustration as the pillar ligand becomes longer from 1 to 4 ; this leads to characteristic magnetic ground states. For compound 4 , which has the longest interlayer distance, the interlayer interaction is so weak that the magnetic properties observed within the range of temperature measured would correspond to the frustrated layer.     

Strukturen von neuen Bis(pentafluorophenyl)halogenomercuraten [{Hg(C6F5)2}3(μ‐X)]— (X = Cl,Br, I)

Structures of New Bis(pentafluorophenyl)halogeno Mercurates [{Hg(C₆F₅)₂}₃(μ‐X)]^— (X = Cl, Br, I) From the reactions of [PNP]Cl or [PPh₄]Y (Y = Br, I) with Hg(C₆F₅)₂ crystals of the composition [Cat][{Hg(C₆F₅)₂}₃X] (Cat = PNP, X = Cl ( 1 ); Cat = PPh₄, X = Br ( 2 ), I ( 3 )) are formed. 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1¯, 2 and 3 crystallize isotypically in the monoclinic space group C2/c. In the crystals the halide anions are surrounded by three Hg(C₆F₅)₂ molecules. The reaction of [PPh₄]Br with Hg(C₆F₅)₂ under slightly changed conditions gives the compound [PPh₄]₂[{Hg(C₆F₅)₂}₃(μ‐Br)][{Hg(C₆F₅)₂}₂(μ‐Br)] ( 4 ).     

Thermal‐ and Light‐Induced Spin Crossover in a Guest‐Dependent Dinuclear Iron(II) System

We previously reported the dinuclear material [Fe^II₂(ddpp)₂(NCS)₄] ? 4 CH₂Cl₂ ( 1? 4 CH₂Cl₂; ddpp=2,5‐di(2′,2′′‐dipyridylamino)pyridine) and its partially desolvated analogue ( 1? CH₂Cl₂), which undergo two‐ and one‐step spin‐crossover (SCO) transitions, respectively. Here, we manipulate the type and degree of solvation in this system and find that either a one‐ or two‐step spin transition can be specifically targeted. The chloroform clathrate 1? 4 CHCl₃ undergoes a relatively abrupt one‐step SCO, in which the two equivalent Fe^II sites within the dinuclear molecule crossover simultaneously. Partial desolvation of 1? 4 CHCl₃ to form 1? 3 CHCl₃ and 1? CHCl₃ occurs through single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal processes (monoclinic C2/c to P2₁/n to P2₁/n) in which the two equivalent Fe^II sites become inequivalent sites within the dinuclear molecule of each phase. Both 1? 3 CHCl₃ and 1? CHCl₃ undergo one‐step spin transitions, with the former having a significantly higher SCO temperature than 1? 4 CHCl₃ and the latter, and each has a broader SCO transition than 1? 4 CHCl₃, attributable to the overlap of two SCO steps in each case. Further magnetic manipulation can be carried out on these materials through reversibly resolvating the partially desolvated material with chloroform to produce the original one‐step SCO, or with dichloromethane to produce a two‐step SCO reminiscent of that seen for 1? 4 CH₂Cl₂. Furthermore, we investigate the light‐induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) effect on 1? 4 CH₂Cl₂ and 1? CH₂Cl₂ and observe partial LIESST activity for the former and no activity for the latter.