A novel multidecker sandwich complex from the reaction of ferrocene with GaCl3

A redox reaction takes place between GaCl3 and an excess of ferrocene, leading to the multidecker sandwich complex 1, [-Ga(C5H5)Fe(C5H5)Ga(C5H5)Fe(C5H5)-]n[GaCl4]2n, which features an array of alternating Ga(I) and Fe(II) ions bridged by cyclopentadienyl moieties.     

Computational study of multiple-decker sandwich and rice-ball structures of neutral titanium-benzene clusters

Density functional theory calculations were applied to systematically and directly compare the relative energetic stability of multiple-decker sandwich and rice-ball structures for a variety of neutral Ti(m)Bz(n) clusters (m = 1-4, n = 1-5). Almost all structures favored the multiple-decker sandwich structure, as observed experimentally for early transition metals. The strength of each metal-benzene interaction averages 37 kcal/mol and remains relatively constant for sandwiches with three or more Ti atoms. The most stable smaller rice-ball structures did not have eta(6)-Bz bound to a single metal atom. Instead, the preferred coordination was having the plane of the benzene molecule parallel to a Ti(2) bond or a Ti(3) face, leading to some distortion of the benzene ring. The larger rice-ball structures, on the other hand, preferred to weaken the metal-metal bonds and retain eta(6)-Bz bound to a single metal atom, a structural motif shared with sandwiches.     

Ferromagnetism in one-dimensional vanadium-benzene sandwich clusters

A molecular beam of multilayer vanadium-benzene organometallic complexes Vn(C6H6)m was produced by a laser vaporization synthesis method. The magnetic moments of the complexes were measured by a molecular beam magnetic deflection technique, and were found to increase with the number of vanadium atoms in the cluster, showing that the unpaired electrons, which occupy the nonbonding dsigma orbitals localized on the metal atoms, couple ferromagnetically. These sandwich species represent a new class of one-dimensional molecular magnets in which the transition metal atoms are formally zerovalent.     

Density functional theory studies of inorganic metallocene multidecker V(n)(P(6))(n+1) (n=1-4) sandwich clusters

Motivated by the synthesis of the first entirely inorganic metallocene sandwich ion [eta(5)-Ti-(P(5))(2)](2-) [E. Urnezius et al. Science 295, 832 (2002)], we have designed a new inorganic metallocene sandwich [eta(6)-V-(P(6))(2)] and multidecker sandwich clusters up to V(4)(P(6))(5) by employing an all electron gradient-corrected density functional theory. The binding energies of the V(n)(P(6))(n+1) complexes increase rapidly from half sandwich to the smallest full sandwich and become gradually afterwards. The highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap and the vertical ionization energy decrease with increasing cluster size. The V(n)(P(6))(n+1) clusters are nonferromagnetic and prefer the lowest available spin states. The smallest sandwich cluster, V(P(6))(2), has the high stability and might serve as a building block for one-dimensional inorganic polymers with high stabilities.     

Structure and magnetism of VnBz(n+1) sandwich clusters

Results on structural, energetic, electronic, and magnetic properties of linear sandwich VnBzn+1 clusters obtained using high-accuracy density functional computations are presented and analyzed. Energetically close-lying configurations and states of different spin-multiplicities are identified. The computed characteristics are in good agreement with the available experimental data. The computations predict that the most stable forms of the clusters in the size range n >/= 4 are chiral. This feature, combined with the magnetism of these systems, makes them of potential importance as building blocks of nanosystems with coupled optical and magnetic functionalities.     

Thallium(I) sandwich, multidecker, and ether complexes stabilized by weakly-coordinating anions: a spectroscopic, structural, and theoretical investigation

The reaction of thallium ethoxide with [H(OEt2)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] in diethyl ether afforded [Tl(OEt2)3][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] (2a), [Tl(OEt2)4][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] (2b), or [Tl(OEt2)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2].CH2Cl2 (2c), depending on the reaction conditions. The dication in the hydrolysis product [Tl4(mu3-OH)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2]2.4CH2Cl2 consists of two bridging and two terminal Tl+ ions bound to triply bridging hydroxides. Heating Et2O complexes in toluene afforded [Tl(eta6-toluene)n][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] (4, n = 2, 3), while C6Me6 addition gave the first thallium-C6Me6 adduct, [Tl(eta6-C6Me6)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2].1.5CH2Cl2 (5a), a bent sandwich complex with very short Tl...centroid distances. These arene complexes show no close contacts between cations and anions. Displacement of toluene ligands by ferrocene gave [Tl2(FeCp2)3][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2]2.5CH2Cl2 (6) which contains the multidecker cations [Tl(FeCp2)]+ and [Tl(FeCp2)2]+ in a 1:1 ratio. By contrast, decamethylferrocene leads to electron transfer; the isolable thallium-ferrocene complexes may therefore be viewed as precursor complexes for this redox step. With 18-crown-6 the complexes [Tl(18-crown-6)2][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2] (11a) and [Tl(18-crown-6)][H2N{B(C6F5)3}2].2CH2Cl2 (11b) were isolated. The structure of the latter shows an eight-coordinate thallium ion, where the coordination to the six oxygen donors in equatorial positions is completed by axial contacts to two F atoms of the counter anions. The bonding between thallium(I) and arenes was explored by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The optimized geometry of [Tl(tol)3]+ converged to a structure very similar to that obtained experimentally. Calculations on [Tl(C6Me6)2]+ (5b) to establish whether a linear or bent geometry is the most stable revealed a very flat potential-energy surface for distortions of the Ctr(3)-Tl-Ctr(4) angle. Overall, there is very little energetic preference for one particular geometry over another above about 140 degrees , in good agreement with the crystallographic geometry. The calculated Tl-arene interaction energies increase from 73.7 kJ mol-1 for toluene to 121.7 kJ mol-1 for C6Me6.     

Infrared spectra of V(n)Bz(n+1) sandwich clusters: a theoretical study of size evolution

Results of density functional theory computations of infrared (IR) spectra of linear sandwich V(n)Bz(n+1), n = 1-6, complexes are presented. It is shown that the systematic changes in the spectra as a function of the complex size can be categorized and understood in terms of responses of the "parent" modes of the Bz molecule and the VBz complex. The analysis presented should be applicable to a broad class of linear sandwich systems.     

Theoretical study of main-group metal-borazine sandwich complexes

Using density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation, we have theoretically studied the formation of neutral metal-aromatic complexes R1-M and R1-M-R2, where M is either neutral lithium, calcium, or gallium and R1 or R2 is benzene or borazine. We first find that calcium atom is an effective mediator for cooperative formation of a sandwich complex with borazine, while others are not. When benzene and borazine are mixed in the presence of calcium, a 1:2:1 mixture of benzene-calcium-benzene, borazine-calcium-benzene, and borazine-calcium-borazine is expected. An "A"-shaped structure is predicted for homo- and heterocomplexes of borazine with partial B-B and B-C bonds, while two rings are planar in the case of homocomplexes of benzene. Our analysis of the electron density distributions in HOMO-1 to LUMO in terms of orbital symmetry in conjunction with analysis of l,m-projected electronic local density of states shows that this correlates with the charge transfer and the interaction of pi states of the rings mediated by empty d-states of Ca, which is ultimately related to the polarity of the B-N bond. We find that there is a large accumulation of electron density on particular atoms upon complex formation, predicting characteristic behavior in electron-transfer reaction and nucleophilic reaction different from those for pure benzene or borazine molecule. The hetero-sandwich complex is of particular interest due to its asymmetrical distribution of excess electrons.     

Soft-landing isolation of vanadium-benzene sandwich clusters on a room-temperature substrate using n-alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayer matrixes

Gas-phase synthesized vanadium-benzene 1:2 (VBz(2)) sandwich clusters were size-selectively deposited onto bare gold and long-chain n-alkanethiolate [-S-(CH(2))(n-1)-CH(3); n = 16, 18, and 22] self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-coated gold substrates under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. Investigation of the resulting deposited clusters was performed by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). The IR frequencies of the soft-landed VBz(2) clusters show excellent agreement with the fundamentals reported in IR data of VBz(2) in an argon matrix. The analysis of IRAS spectra reveals that while there was no orientational preference of the VBz(2) clusters on a bare gold substrate, the VBz(2) clusters deposited onto the SAM substrates were highly oriented with the molecular axis 70-80 degrees tilted off the surface normal. In addition, analysis of TDS spectra revealed unusually large adsorption heats of the physisorbed VBz(2) clusters. The present results are explained by cluster penetration into the long-chain alkanethiolate SAM and for the first time demonstrate the matrix isolation of gas-phase organometallic clusters around room temperature.     

Aggregation-induced phosphorescence sensitization in two heptanuclear and decanuclear gold–silver sandwich clusters

The strategy of aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) has been proven to be efficient in wide areas and has recently been adopted in the field of metal nanoclusters. However, the relationship between atomically precise clusters and AIEE is still unclear. Herein, we have successfully obtained two few-atom heterometallic gold–silver hepta-/decanuclear clusters, denoted Au₆Ag and Au₉Ag, and determined their structures by X-ray diffraction and mass spectrometry. The nature of the Au^I⋯Ag^I interactions thereof is demonstrated through energy decomposition analysis to be far-beyond typical closed-shell metal–metal interaction dominated by dispersion interaction. Furthermore, a positive correlation has been established between the particle size of the nanoaggregates and the photoluminescence quantum yield for Au₆Ag, manifesting AIEE control upon varying the stoichiometric ratio of Au : Ag in atomically-precise clusters.

The strategy of aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) has been proven to be efficient in wide areas and has recently been adopted in the field of metal nanoclusters.     

Structural study of gold clusters

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to study gold clusters of up to 55 atoms. Between the linear and zigzag monoatomic Au nanowires, the zigzag nanowires were found to be more stable. Furthermore, the linear Au nanowires of up to 2 nm are formed by slightly stretched Au dimers. These suggest that a substantial Peierls distortion exists in those structures. Planar geometries of Au clusters were found to be the global minima till the cluster size of 13. A quantitative correlation is provided between various properties of Au clusters and the structure and size. The relative stability of selected clusters was also estimated by the Sutton-Chen potential, and the result disagrees with that obtained from the DFT calculations. This suggests that a modification of the Sutton-Chen potential has to be made, such as obtaining new parameters, in order to use it to search the global minima for bigger Au clusters.     

Relativistic electronic structure of cadmium(II) multidecker phthalocyanine compounds

Cadmium phthalocyanines (Pc) give rise to multilayered compounds, which may have potential application in material science. The Cd(II) single macrocycle (1) (C_4v), double decker [CdPc₂] (2) (D₄), triple decker [Cd₂Pc₃] (3) (D_4h) and quadruple decker [Cd₃Pc₄] (4) (D_4d), are already characterized experimentally. The electronic structures of the multidecker compounds were compared against the single macrocycle (1) which is used as benchmark. Relativistic electronic structure were carried out via DFT calculations using the two components ZORA Hamiltonian including both scalar and spin–orbit effects. Double point groups were used to take into account the inclusion of the spin–orbit coupling, and their group correlation is shown. The calculations show that the quadruple decker is the most reactive and behaves like a one-dimensional molecular metal.     

Room-temperature isolation of V(benzene)2 sandwich clusters via soft-landing into n-alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers

The adsorption state and thermal stability of V(benzene)2 sandwich clusters soft-landed onto a self-assembled monolayer of different chain-length n-alkanethiols (Cn-SAM, n = 8, 12, 16, 18, and 22) were studied by means of infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The IRAS measurement confirmed that V(benzene)2 clusters are molecularly adsorbed and maintain a sandwich structure on all of the SAM substrates. In addition, the clusters supported on the SAM substrates are oriented with their molecular axes tilted 70-80 degrees off the surface normal. An Arrhenius analysis of the TPD spectra reveals that the activation energy for the desorption of the supported clusters increases linearly with the chain length of the SAMs. For the longest chain C22-SAM, the activation energy reaches approximately 150 kJ/mol, and the thermal desorption of the supported clusters can be considerably suppressed near room temperature. The clear chain-length-dependent thermal stability of the supported clusters observed here can be explained well in terms of the cluster penetration into the SAM matrixes.     

Lanthanide-mediated tuning of electronic and magnetic properties in heterotrimetallic cyclooctatetraenyl multidecker self-assemblies

The synthesis of a novel family of homoleptic COT-based heterotrimetallic self-assemblies bearing the formula [LnKCa(COT)₃(THF)₃] (Ln(iii) = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb) is reported followed by their X-ray crystallographic and magnetic characterization. All crystals conform to the monoclinic P2₁/c space group with a slight compression of the unit cell from 3396.4(2) ų to 3373.2(4) ų along the series. All complexes exhibit a triple-decker structure having the Ln(iii) and K(i) ions sandwiched by three COT²⁻ ligands with an end-bound {Ca²⁺(THF)₃} moiety to form a non-linear (153.5°) arrangement of three different metals. The COT²⁻ ligands act in a η⁸-mode with respect to all metal centers. A detailed structural comparison of this unique set of heterotrimetallic complexes has revealed consistent trends along the series. From Gd to Yb, the Ln to ring-centroid distance decreases from 1.961(3) Å to 1.827(2) Å. In contrast, the separation of K(i) and Ca(ii) ions from the COT-centroid (2.443(3) and 1.914(3) Å, respectively) is not affected by the change of Ln(iii) ions. The magnetic property investigation of the [LnKCa(COT)₃(THF)₃] series (Ln(iii) = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm) reveals that the Dy, Er, and Tm complexes display slow relaxation of their magnetization, in other words, single-molecule magnet (SMM) properties. This behaviour is dominated by thermally activated (Orbach-like) and quantum tunneling processes for [DyKCa(COT)₃(THF)₃] in contrast to [ErKCa(COT)₃(THF)₃], in which the thermally activated and Raman processes appear to be relevant. Details of the electronic structures and magnetic properties of these complexes are further clarified with the help of DFT and ab initio theoretical calculations.

A new class of heterotrimetallic COT-based self-assemblies accommodates metals from groups I–III in three different oxidation states and enables tuning of electronic and magnetic properties.     

Computational study of phenolic compounds-water clusters

Structural Chemistry - Eight molecules (phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, pyrocatechol, guaiacol, syringol, and vanillin) were investigated in their one water complex clusters by quantum...     

Construction of the multidecker anthracene-silver(I) system by intramolecular pi-pi interactions

As a continuation of the study on the construction of the multidecker aromatic compounds with pi-pi interactions, the anthracene derivatives 9,10-dimethylanthracene (dman), 9,10-diphenylanthracene (dpan), and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (dmban) have been studied toward complexation with the silver(I) ion. The crystal structures of [Ag(dman)(0.5)(p-xylene)(ClO(4))], [Ag(2)(dpan)(0.5)(C(6)H(6))(0.5)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)], and [Ag(2)(dmban)(2)(ClO(4))(2)](p-xylene), together with the metal-free ligand dpan, have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. These pi-electron-rich aromatic compounds are found to have great promise as an approach to the effective self-assembly of high nuclearity in a multilayer fashion.