1,4-dicyanobenzene as a scaffold for the preparation of bimetallic actinide complexes exhibiting metal-metal communication

Reaction of two equivalents of [(C(5)Me(4)Et)(2)U(CH(3))(Cl)] (6) or [(C(5)Me(5))(2)Th(CH(3))(Br)] (7) with 1,4-dicyanobenzene leads to the formation of the novel 1,4-phenylenediketimide-bridged bimetallic organoactinide complexes [{(C(5)Me(4)Et)(2)(Cl)U}(2)(mu-{N==C(CH(3))-C(6)H(4)-(CH(3))C==N})] (8) and [{(C(5)Me(5))(2)(Br)Th}(2)(mu-{N==C(CH(3))-C(6)H(4)- (CH(3))C==N})] (9), respectively. These complexes were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy. Metal-metal interactions in these isovalent bimetallic systems were assessed by means of cyclic voltammetry, UV-visible/NIR absorption spectroscopy, and variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility. Although evidence for magnetic coupling between metal centers in the bimetallic U(IV)/U(IV) (5f(2)-5f(2)) complex is ambiguous, the complex displays appreciable electronic communication between the metal centers through the pi system of the dianionic diketimide bridging ligand, as judged by voltammetry. The transition intensities of the f-f bands for the bimetallic U(IV)/U(IV) system decrease substantially compared to the related monometallic ketimide chloride complex, [(C(5)Me(5))(2)U(Cl){-N==C(CH(3))-(3,4,5-F(3)-C(6)H(2))}] (11). Also reported herein are new synthetic routes to the actinide starting materials [(C(5)Me(4)Et)(2)U(CH(3))(Cl)] (6) and [(C(5)Me(5))(2)Th(CH(3))(Br)] (7) in addition to the syntheses and structures of the monometallic uranium complexes [(C(5)Me(4)Et)(2)UCl(2)] (3), [(C(5)Me(4)Et)(2)U(CH(3))(2)] (4), [(C(5)Me(4)Et)(2)U{-N==C(CH(3))-C(6)H(4)-C==N}(2)] (10), and 11.     

Cover Picture: Solid‐State Structural Characterization of Cutinase–ECE‐Pincer–Metal Hybrids (Chem. Eur. J. 17/2009)

The interfacial enzyme cutinase…? shown at the air–water interface on the cover, was site‐selectively modified with two different ECE‐pincer–metal complexes. The resulting cutinase–pincer–metal hybrids crystallized under halide‐rich conditions to give monomeric crystal structures, but also crystallized under halide‐poor conditions to form a metal‐induced dimer. See the Full Paper by R. J. M. Klein Gebbink, P. Gros, G. van Koten et al. on page 4270 ff. , for details of the chemistry and the crystal structures. Photograph: View from the island of Saba (Netherlands Antilles) taken by Birgit Wieczorek. Design: Birgit Wieczorek and Cornelis A. Kruithof.

     

Front Cover: Water-Solvation-Dependent Spin Transitions in Cobalt(II)-Octacyanidometallate Complexes (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 30/2023)

The spin-crossover (SCO) and charge-transfer (CT) phenomena, the switching processes between two distinguishable magnetic states, are promising for developing materials capable of sophisticated memory and sensing functionalities. The majority of SCO systems are based on iron(II) complexes. However, cobalt(II)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (terpy) systems emerge as a promising alternative. In this work, new complex salts [Co^II(terpy)₂]₂[Mo^IV(CN)₈] ⋅ 15H₂O, Co₂Mo (H₂O), and [Co^II(terpy)₂]₃[W^V(CN)₈]₂ ⋅ 12H₂O, Co₃W₂ (H₂O) were synthesized and physiochemically characterized. Structural studies for both compounds revealed [Co(terpy)₂]²⁺ layers pillared by octacyanidometallate anions and completed with water molecules between them. Magnetic studies confirmed that the (de)solvated phases of both complexes exhibit partial SCO on the cobalt(II) centers: Co^II−LS (S_Co(II)-LS=¹/₂)↔Co^II−HS (S_Co(II)-HS=³/₂). Moreover, handling dehydrated samples in a high-humidity environment leads to partial recovery of previous magnetic properties via humidity-induced SCO for Co₂Mo : Co^II−HS→Co^II−LS, and the new phenomenon of isothermal humidity-activated charge-transfer-induced spin transition, which we define here as HACTIST, for Co₃W₂ : Co^II−HS⋅⋅⋅W^V (S_Co(II)-HS=³/₂ and S_W(V)=¹/₂)→Co^III−LS⋅⋅⋅W^IV (S_W(IV)=0 and S_Co(III)-LS=0). These comprehensive studies shed light on the water-solvation-dependent spin transitions in Co(II)-octacyanidometallate(IV/V) complexes.