Structural study of the thermal and photochemical spin states in the spin crossover complex [Fe(phen)2(NCSe)2

The first structural data for [Fe(phen)(2)(NCSe)(2)] (obtained using the extraction method of sample preparation) in its high-spin, low-spin and LIESST induced metastable high-spin states have been recorded using synchrotron radiation single crystal diffraction. The space group for all of the spin states was found to be Pbcn. On cooling from the high-spin state (HS-1) at 292 K through the spin crossover at about 235 K to the low-spin state at 100 K (LS-1) the iron coordination environment changed to a more regular octahedral geometry and the Fe-N bond lengths decreased by 0.216 and 0.196 A (Fe-N(phen)) and 0.147 A (Fe-N(CSe)). When the low-spin state was illuminated with visible light at about 26 K, the structure of this LIESST induced metastable high-spin state (HS-2) was very similar to that of HS-1 with regards to the Fe-phen bond lengths, but there were some differences in the bond lengths in the Fe-NCSe unit between HS-1 and HS-2. When HS-2 was warmed in the dark to 50 K, the resultant low-spin state (LS-2) had an essentially identical structure to LS-1. In all spin states, all of the shortest intermolecular contacts (in terms of van der Waals radii) involved the NCSe ligand, which may be important in describing the cooperativity in the solid state. The quality of the samples was confirmed by magnetic susceptibility and IR measurements.     

Photomagnetic properties of an iron(II) low-spin complex with an unusually long-lived metastable LIESST state

A comprehensive study of the photomagnetic behavior of the [Fe(L222N5)(CN)2].H2O complex has been carried out. This complex is characterized by a low-spin (LS) iron(II)-metal center up to 400 K and exhibits at 10 K the well-known Light-Induced Excited Spin State Trapping (LIESST) effect. The critical LIESST temperature (T(LIESST)) has been measured to be 105 K. The kinetics of the transition from the metastable high-spin (HS) state to the low-spin state have been determined and used for reproducing the experimental T(LIESST) curve. This study represents a second example of a fully low-spin iron(II)-metal complex up to 400 K, which can be photoexcited at low temperature with an atypical long-lived metastable HS state. This underlines the preponderant role of the inner coordination sphere for stabilizing the lifetime of the photoinduced HS state.     

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.     

A high-pressure iron K-edge x-ray absorption spectral study of the spin-state crossover in (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))I(2) and (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))(BF(4))(2)

The room temperature iron K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra of (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))I(2) and (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))(BF(4))(2) have been measured between ambient and 88 and 94 kbar, respectively, in an opposed diamond anvil cell. The iron(II) in (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))I(2)undergoes the expected gradual spin-state crossover from the high-spin state to the low-spin state with increasing pressure. In contrast, the iron(II) in (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))(BF(4))(2) remains high-spin between ambient and 78 kbar and is only transformed to the low-spin state at an applied pressure of between 78 and 94 kbar. No visible change is observed in the preedge peak in the spectra of (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))I(2) with increasing pressure, whereas the preedge peak in the spectra of ((e[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))(BF(4))(2) changes as expected for a high-spin to low-spin crossover with increasing pressure. The difference in the spin-state crossover behavior of these two complexes is likely related to the unusual behavior of (Fe[HC(3,5-(CH(3))(2)pz)(3)](2))(BF(4))(2) upon cooling.     

Equilibrium of low- and high-spin states of Ni(II) complexes controlled by the donor ability of the bidentate ligands

Low-spin nickel(II) complexes containing bidentate ligands with modulated nitrogen donor ability, Py(Bz)2 or MePy(Bz)2 (Py(Bz)2 = N,N-bis(benzyl)-N-[(2-pyridyl)methyl]amine, MePy(Bz)2 = N,N-bis(benzyl)-N-[(6-methyl-2-pyridyl)methyl]amine), and a beta-diketonate derivative, tBuacacH (tBuacacH = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedione), represented as [Ni(Py(Bz)2)(tBuacac)](PF6) (1) and [Ni(MePy(Bz)2)(tBuacac)](PF6) (2) have been synthesized. In addition, the corresponding high-spin nickel(II) complexes having a nitrate ion, [Ni(Py(Bz)2)(tBuacac)(NO3)] (3) and [Ni(MePy(Bz)2)(tBuacac)(NO3)] (4), have also been synthesized for comparison. Complexes 1 and 2 have tetracoordinate low-spin square-planar structures, whereas the coordination environment of the nickel ion in 4 is a hexacoordinate high-spin octahedral geometry. The absorption spectra of low-spin complexes 1 and 2 in a noncoordinating solvent, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), display the characteristic absorption bands at 500 and 540 nm, respectively. On the other hand, the spectra of a CH2Cl2 solution of high-spin complexes 3 and 4 exhibit the absorption bands centered at 610 and 620 nm, respectively. The absorption spectra of 1 and 2 in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), being a coordinating solvent, are quite different from those in CH2Cl2, which are nearly the same as those of 3 and 4 in CH2Cl2. This result indicates that the structures of 1 and 2 are converted from a low-spin square-planar to a high-spin octahedral configuration by the coordination of two DMF molecules to the nickel ion. Moreover, complex 1 shows thermochromic behavior resulting from the equilibrium between low-spin square-planar and high-spin octahedral structures in acetone, while complex 2 exists only as a high-spin octahedral configuration in acetone at any temperature. Such drastic differences in the binding constants and thermochromic properties can be ascribed to the enhancement of the acidity of the nickel ion of 2 by the steric effect of the o-methyl group in the MePy(Bz)2 ligand in 2, which weakens the Ni-N(pyridine) bond length compared with that of the nonsubstituted Py(Bz)2 ligand in 1.     

Low-spin→high-spin relaxation dynamics in the highly diluted spin-crossover system [Fe(x)Zn(1-x)(bbtr)3](ClO4)2

Whereas the neat polymeric iron(II) compound [Fe(bbtr)(3)](ClO(4))(2), bbtr = 1,4-di(1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)butane, shows a quantitative spin transition triggered by a crystallographic phase transition centered at 107 K with a 13 K wide hysteresis, the iron(II) complexes in the diluted mixed crystals [Fe(x)Zn(1-x)(bbtr)(3)](ClO(4))(2), x = 0.02 and 0.1, stay predominantly in the (5)T(2) high-spin state down to cryogenic temperatures. However, the (1)A(1) low-spin state can be populated as metastable state via irradiation into the spin-allowed (5)T(2)→(5)E ligand-field transition of the high-spin species in the near-infrared. The quantum efficiency of the light-induced conversion is approximately 10% at low temperatures and decreases rapidly above 160 K. The lifetime of the light-induced low-spin state decreases from 15 days at 40 K to 30 ns at 220 K, that is, by 14 orders of magnitude. In the high-temperature regime the activation energy for the low-spin→high-spin relaxation is 1840(20) cm(-1).     

Substituent Effects on the Spin-Transition Temperature in Complexes with Tris(pyrazolyl) Ligands

Summary.  Iron (II) complexes with substituted tris(pyrazolyl) ligands, which exhibit a thermally driven transition from a low-spin state at low temperatures to a high-spin state at elevated temperatures, have been studied by M?ssbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the observed spectra the molar high-spin fraction and the transition temperature have been extracted. All substituents, except for bromine, lead to a decrease of the transition temperature. Density functional calculations have been carried out to compare the experimentally observed shifts of the transition temperature with those derived from theory. Corresponding author. E-mail: paulsen@physik.uni-luebeck.de Received June 26, 2002; accepted July 22, 2002     

Mechanochemical effect in the iron(III) spin crossover complex [Fe(3-MeO-salenEt2]PF6 as studied by heat capacity calorimetry

Magnetic and thermal properties of the iron(III) spin crossover complex [Fe(3MeO-salenEt)(2)]PF(6) are very sensitive to mechanochemical perturbations. Heat capacities for unperturbed and differently perturbed samples were precisely determined by adiabatic calorimetry at temperatures in the 10-300 K range. The unperturbed compound shows a cooperative spin crossover transition at 162.31 K, presenting a hysteresis of 2.8 K. The anomalous enthalpy and entropy contents of the transition were evaluated to be Delta(trs)H = 5.94 kJ mol(-1) and Delta(trs)S = 36.7 J K(-1) mol(-1), respectively. By mechanochemical treatments, (1) the phase transition temperature was lowered by 1.14 K, (2) the enthalpy and entropy gains at the phase transition due to the spin crossover phenomenon were diminished to Delta(trs)H = 4.94 kJ mol(-1) and Delta(trs)S = 31.1 J K(-1) mol(-1), and (3) the lattice heat capacities were larger than those of the unperturbed sample over the whole temperature range. In spite of different mechanical perturbations (grinding with a mortar and pestle and grinding in a ball-mill), two sets of heat capacity measurements provided basically the same results. The mechanochemical perturbation exerts its effect more strongly on the low-spin state than on the high-spin state. It shows a substantial increase of the number of iron(III) ions in the high-spin state below the transition temperature. The heat capacities of the diamagnetic cobalt(III) analogue [Co(3MeO-salenEt)(2)]PF(6) also were measured. The lattice heat capacity of the iron compounds has been estimated from either the measurements on the cobalt complex using a corresponding states law or the effective frequency distribution method. These estimations have been used for the evaluation of the transition anomaly.     

Interplay between kinetically slow thermal spin-crossover and metastable high-spin state relaxation in an iron(II) complex with similar T1/2 and T(LIESST)

This paper describes the first material to show the well-known light-induced excited spin-state trapping (LIESST) effect, the metastable excited state of which relaxes at a temperature approaching its thermal spin-crossover. Cooling polycrystalline [FeL(2)][BF(4)](2).x H(2)O (L=2,6-bis[3-methylpyrazol-1-yl]pyridine; x=0-1/3) at 1 K min(-1) leads to a cooperative spin transition, taking place in two steps centered at 147 and 105 K, that is only 54 % complete by magnetic susceptibility. Annealing the sample at 100 K for 2 h results in a slow decrease in chi(M)T to zero, showing that the remainder of the spin-crossover can proceed, but is kinetically slow. The crystalline high- and fully low-spin phases of [FeL(2)][BF(4)](2).x H(2)O are isostructural (C2/c, Z=8), but the spin-crossover proceeds via a mixed-spin intermediate phase that has a triple unit cell (C2/c, Z=24). The water content of the crystals is slowly lost on exposure to air without causing decomposition. However, the high-spin/mixed-spin transition in the crystal proceeds at 110+/-20 K when x=1/3 and 155+/-5 K when x=0, which correspond to the two spin-crossover steps seen in the bulk material. The high-spin state of the compound is generated quantitatively by irradiation of the low-spin or the mixed-spin phase at 10 K, and in approximately 70 % yield by rapidly quenching the sample to 10 K. This metastable high-spin state relaxes back to the low-spin ground state at 87+/-1 K in one, not two, steps, and without passing through the intermediate phase. This implies that thermal spin-crossover and thermally activated high-spin-low-spin relaxation in this material become decoupled, thus avoiding the physical impossibility of T(LIESST) being greater than T(1/2).     

Solid-state structural and magnetic investigations of [M[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) (M = Fe,Co, Ni,Cu): observation of a thermally induced solid-state phase change controlling an iron(II) spin-state crossover

The reaction of M(BF(4))(2).xH(2)O (M = Co, Ni, and Cu) and HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3) in a 1:2 ratio yields [Co[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) (2), [Ni[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) (3), and [Cu[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) (4). Over the temperature range from 5 to 350, 345, or 320 K, Curie law behavior is observed for microcrystalline samples of all three compounds showing them to have three, two, and one unpaired electrons, respectively, with no spin-crossover observed for 2. Crystalline samples of these compounds torque in the applied magnetic field the first time the sample is cooled to 5 K. The solid-state structures of all three are isomorphous at 220 K, monoclinic in the space group C2/c. The metal is located on a unique crystallographic site and has a trigonally distorted octahedral structure, with 4 showing the expected Jahn-Teller distortions. Cooling crystals of all three to low temperatures leads to the observation of the same phase change to triclinic in the new space group P(-)1 with nonmerohedral twinning. This change is reversible and yields two crystallographically unique metal sites at low temperature. The bond angles and distances for the two different metal sites for each compound in the low temperature structures are very similar to each other and to those in the 220 K structures. The same phase change, monoclinic to triclinic, has been observed previously for [Fe[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) (1), except in this case, the phase change results in half of the cations changing over from the high-spin state to the low-spin state while the other half of the cations remain high-spin, with the low-spin form decreasing its Fe-N bond distances by 0.19 A. The new results with 2-4 show that it is the phase transition, which occurs in complexes of the type [M[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) with first row transition metals, that is driving the unusual spin-crossover behavior of [Fe[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2).     

cis,cis-[(bpy)2RuVO]2O4+ catalyzes water oxidation formally via in situ generation of radicaloid RuIV-O*

The mechanism of the catalytic oxidation of water by cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)Ru(OH(2))](2)O(4+) to give molecular dioxygen was investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT). A series of four oxidation and four deprotonation events generate the catalytically competent species cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)Ru(V)O](2)O(4+), which breaks the H-OH bond homolytically at the rate determining transition state to give a hydroperoxo intermediate. Our calculations predict a rate determining activation barrier of 25.9 kcal/mol in solution phase, which is in reasonable agreement with the previously reported experimental estimate of 18.7-23.3 kcal/mol. A number of plausible coupling schemes of the two metal sites including strong coupling, weak ferromagnetic and weak antiferromagnetic coupling have been considered. In addition, both high-spin and low-spin states at each of the Ru(V)-d(3) centers were explored and we found that the high-spin states play an important mechanistic role. Our calculations suggest that cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)Ru(V)O](2)O(4+) performs formally an intramolecular ligand-to-metal charge transfer when reacting with water to formally give a cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)Ru(IV)O*](2)O(4+) complex. We propose that the key characteristic of the diruthenium catalyst that allows it to accomplish the most difficult first two oxidations of the overall four-electron redox reaction is directly associated with this in situ generation of two radicaloid oxo moieties that promote the water splitting reaction. A proton coupled metal-to-metal charge transfer follows to yield a Ru(V)/Ru(III) peroxo/aqua mixed valence complex, which performs the third redox reaction to give the superoxo/aqua complex. Finally, intersystem crossing to a ferromagnetically coupled Ru(IV)/Ru(III) superoxo/aqua species is predicted, which will then promote the last redox event to release triplet dioxygen as the final product. A number of key features of the computed mechanism are explored in detail to derive a conceptual understanding of the catalytic mechanism.     

Properties of [Fe(Salten)Cl] Being a Precursor for Spin-Crossover Compounds in Polycrystals and Vitrified Acetonitrile Solutions

The complexes of precursor with pentadentate Salten ligand has been shown to have high-spin state (S = 5/2) in a single crystal and polycrystalline phase and contain both high-spin and low-spin (S = 1/2) fractions in vitrified acetonitrile solutions. A correlation between ESR spectrum shape and crystallinity degree has been tracked for polycrystalline phase. The majority of complexes in crystals has been found to form exchange-coupled clusters. The ESR spectra of vitrified solutions have shown several types of high-spin centers and two kinds of low-spin complexes with different g-factors. On the basis of quantum chemical calculations, conclusion was drawn for the most likely structural form of the precursor in single crystal and polycrystalline samples and possible supramolecular associates in frozen solutions.     

Even-numbered metal chain complexes: synthesis, characterization, and DFT analysis of [Ni4(mu4-Tsdpda)4(H2O)2] (Tsdpda2- = N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)dipyridyldiamido), [Ni4(mu4-Tsdpda)4]+, and related Ni4 string complexes

The synthesis and the X-ray structure of two complexes exhibiting a linear chain of four nickel atoms is reported, following Ni4(mu4-phdpda)4 (1), which had been characterized previously. [Ni4(mu4-Tsdpda)4(H2O)2], where H2Tsdpda is N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)dipyridyldiamine (2), is axially coordinated to two water molecules, at variance with 1. One-electron oxidation of 2 resulted in the loss of the axial ligands, yielding [Ni4(mu4-Tsdpda)4]+, [3]+, which was also structurally characterized. Finally, we report the structure of Ni4(mu4-DAniDANy)4 (4), a complex synthesized starting from the new ligand N,N'-bis-p-anisyl-2,7-diamino-1,8-naphthyridine. Magnetic measurements concluded that 4 is diamagnetic, like 1, whereas 2 is antiferromagnetic (-2J(14) = 80 cm(-)(1), using the Heisenberg Hamiltonian H = -2J(14) S(1).S(4)), as are other axially coordinated chains with an odd number of nickel atoms. DFT calculations are reported on these complexes in order to rationalize their electronic structure and their magnetic behavior. The magnetic properties of the [Ni4]8+ complexes are governed by the electronic state of the Ni(II) atoms, which may be either low-spin (S = 0), or high-spin (S = 1). DFT calculations show that the promotion to high spin of two Ni atoms in the chain, either external or internal, depends on the interplay between axial and equatorial coordination. The synergy between axial coordination and the presence of electron-withdrawing toluenesulfonyl substituents in 2 favors the promotion to the high-spin state of the terminal Ni atoms, thus yielding an antiferromagnetic ground state for the complex. This is at variance with complexes 1 and 4, for which the lowest quintet state results from the promotion to high spin of the internal nickel atoms, together with an important ligand participation, and is destabilized by 9 to 16 kcal mol(-1) with respect to the diamagnetic ground state.     

A new family of spin-crossover complexes based on a FeII(tetrazolyl)4(MeCN)2-type core

A bitopic ligand 2-hydroxy-1-(tetrazol-1-yl)-3-(tetrazol-2-yl)propane (12pbtzOH) was synthesized and reacted with Fe(ClO4)(2).6H2O, giving a 1D coordination polymer {[Fe(12pbtzOH)2(CH3CN)2](ClO4)(2).2CH3CN} infinity that exhibits a high-spin to low-spin transition (T1/2(downward arrow)=T1/2(upward arrow) congruent with 104 K). This is an unprecedented example of an iron(II) complex containing Fe(tetrazolyl) 4(MeCN)2 cores.     

On the origin of paramagnetism in planar nickel(II) complexes

The general rule that in Ni(II) d(8) chemistry, tetrahedral (or nearly tetrahedral) complexes have temperature dependent magnetic moments which are usually larger than the spin-only value whilst square planar complexes are diamagnetic is broken for certain Ni[P((t)Bu)(2)(O)NR](2) complexes. These have planar coordination for various alkyl groups but have the spectral and paramagnetic properties normally associated with tetrahedral systems. In contract to previous studies, density functional calculations show the unusual adoption of a high-spin rather than low-spin arrangement in the planar systems is due to the strong pi bonding of the amide group and the preference for a planar coordination is due to greater separation between the bulky nitrogen and phosphorus substituents.     

Photomagnetic studies on spin-crossover solid solutions containing two different metal complexes, [Fe(1-bpp)(2)](x)[M(terpy)2](1-x)[BF4]2 (M = Ru or Co)

The photomagnetic properties of two series of spin-crossover solid solutions, [Fe(1-bpp)(2)](x)[Ru(terpy)(2)](1-x)(BF(4))(2) and [Fe(1-bpp)(2)](x)[Co(terpy)(2)](1-x)(BF(4))(2) (1-bpp = 2,6-bis[pyrazol-1-yl]pyridine), have been investigated. For all the materials, the evolution of the T(LIESST) value, the high-spin → low-spin relaxation parameters and the LITH loops were thoroughly studied. Interestingly in the Fe:Co series, along the photo-excitation, cobalt ions are concomitantly converted from low-spin to high-spin states with the iron centres, and also fully relax after light excitation.     

A synthetic, structural, magnetic, and spectral study of several [Fe[tris(pyrazolyl)methane]2](BF4)2 complexes: observation of an unusual spin-state crossover

The complexes [Fe[HC(3,5-Me2pz)3]2](BF4)2 (1), [Fe[HC(pz)3]2](BF4)2 (2), and [Fe[PhC(pz)2(py)]2](BF4)2 (3) (pz = 1-pyrazolyl ring, py = pyridyl ring) have been synthesized by the reaction of the appropriate ligand with Fe(BF4)2.6H2O. Complex 1 is high-spin in the solid state and in solution at 298 K. In the solid phase, it undergoes a decrease in magnetic moment at lower temperatures, changing at ca. 206 K to a mixture of high-spin and low-spin forms, a spin-state mixture that does not change upon subsequent cooling to 5 K. Crystallographically, there is only one iron(II) site in the ambient-temperature solid-state structure, a structure that clearly shows the complex is high-spin. M?ssbauer spectral studies show conclusively that the magnetic moment change observed at lower temperatures arises from the complex changing from a high-spin state at higher temperatures to a 50:50 mixture of high-spin and low-spin states at lower temperatures. Complexes 2 and 3 are low-spin in the solid phase at room temperature. Complex 2 in the solid phase gradually changes over to the high-spin state upon heating above 295 K and is completely high-spin at ca. 470 K. In solution, variable-temperature 1H NMR spectra of 2 show both high-spin and low-spin forms are present, with the percentage of the paramagnetic form increasing as the temperature increases. Complex 3 is low-spin at all temperatures studied in both the solid phase and solution. An X-ray absorption spectral study has been undertaken to investigate the electronic spin states of [Fe[HC(3,5-Me2pz)3]2](BF4)2 and [Fe[HC(pz)3]2](BF4)2. Crystallographic information: 2 is monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 10.1891(2) A, b = 7.6223(2) A, c = 17.2411(4) A, beta = 100.7733(12) degrees, Z = 2; 3 is triclinic, P1, a = 12.4769(2) A, b = 12.7449(2) A, c = 13.0215(2) A, alpha = 83.0105(8) degrees, beta = 84.5554(7) degrees, gamma = 62.5797(2) degrees, Z = 2.     

Theoretical study of the Fe(phen)(2)(NCS)(2) spin-crossover complex with reparametrized density functionals

The theoretical study of spin-crossover compounds is very challenging as those parts of the experimental findings that concern the electronic structure of these compounds can currently hardly be reproduced because of either technical limitations of highly accurate ab initio methods or because of inaccuracies of density functional methods in the prediction of low-spin/high-spin energy splitting. However, calculations with reparametrized density functionals on molecules of the thermal spin-crossover type can give improved results when compared with experiment for close-lying states of different spin and are therefore important for, e.g., transition metal catalysis. A classification of transition metal compounds within hybrid density functional theory is given to distinguish standard, critical, and complicated cases. From the class of complicated cases we choose the prominent spin-crossover compound Fe(phen)(2)(NCS)(2) and show in a first step how the electronic contribution to the energy splitting can be calculated. In a second step, the vibrational effects on the spin flip are investigated within the harmonic force-field approximation of the isolated-molecule approach. A main result of the study is the necessity of exact-exchange reduction in hybrid density functionals to arrive at reasonable electronic energy splittings. The study resolves problems that originated from the use of standard density functionals, which are not able to reproduce the electronic contribution to the low-spin/high-spin splitting correctly, and demonstrates to which extent reparametrized density functionals can be used for the prediction of the spin-crossover effect.     

Sub-picosecond time resolved infrared spectroscopy of high-spin state formation in Fe(ii) spin crossover complexes

The photoinduced low-spin (S = 0) to high-spin (S = 2) transition of the iron(ii) spin-crossover systems [Fe(btpa)](PF(6))(2) and [Fe(b(bdpa))](PF(6))(2) in solution have been studied for the first time by means of ultrafast transient infrared spectroscopy at room temperature. Negative and positive infrared difference bands between 1000 and 1065 cm(-1) that appear within the instrumental system response time of 350 fs after excitation at 387 nm display the formation of the vibrationally unrelaxed and hot high-spin (5)T(2) state. Vibrational relaxation is observed and characterized by the time constants 9.4 +/- 0.7 ps for [Fe(btpa)](PF(6))(2)/acetone and 12.7 +/- 0.7 ps for both [Fe(btpa)](PF(6))(2)/acetonitrile and [Fe(b(bdpa)](PF(6))(2)/acetonitrile. Vibrational analysis has been performed via DFT calculations of the low-spin and high-spin state normal modes of both compounds as well as their respective infrared absorption cross sections. The simulated infrared difference spectra are dominated by an increase of the absorption cross section upon high-spin state formation in accordance with the experimental infrared spectra.     

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.