Photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT calculations of easily ionized quadruply bonded Mo2(4+) compounds and their bicyclic guanidinate precursors

A series of five bicyclic guanidinate compounds containing various combinations of five- and six-membered rings and substituted alkyl groups have been shown by photoelectron spectroscopy to be easily ionized, with the one having two six-membered rings and four ethyl groups being the most easily ionized. The corresponding anions are capable of forming paddlewheel compounds having quadruply bonded Mo2(4+) units which are also easy to ionize. The most easily ionized compound is the ethyl-substituted Mo2(TEhpp)4 complex which has a broad first ionization band centered around 4.27 +/- 0.03 eV and an ionization onset at the very low energy of 3.93 +/- 0.03 eV. Even the compound with ligands containing two five-membered rings, which favors a long Mo-Mo separation because of the large ligand bite, has an ionization energy (4.78 eV) that is less than those of well-known organometallic reducing agents such as (eta5-C9Me7)2Co and (eta5-C5Me5)2Cr.     

The Electronic Structure and Bonding of the First p-Block Paddlewheel Complex,Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>(trifluoroacetate)<Subscript>4</Subscript>, and Comparison to d-Block Transition Metal Paddlewheel Complexes: A Photoelectron and Density Functional Theory Study

The photoelectron spectrum and a density functional computational analysis of the first p-block paddlewheel complex, Bi₂(tfa)₄, where tfa = (O₂CCF₃)⁻, are reported. The photoelectron spectrum of Bi₂(tfa)₄ contains an ionization band between the region of metal-based ionizations and the region of overlapping ligand ionizations that is not seen in the photoelectron spectra of d-block paddlewheel complexes. This additional ionization arises from an a_1g symmetry combination of the tfa ligand orbitals that is directed for σ bonding with the metals, and the unusual energy of this ionization follows from the different interaction of this orbital with the valence s and p orbitals of Bi compared to the valence d orbitals of transition metals. There is significant mixing between the Bi–Bi σ bond and this a_1g M–L σ orbital. This observation led to a re-examination of the ionization differences between Mo₂(tfa)₄ and W₂(tfa)₄, where the metal–metal σ and π ionizations are overlapping for the Mo₂ molecule but a separate and sharp σ ionization is observed for the W₂ molecule. The coalescing of the σ and π bond ionizations of Mo₂(tfa)₄ is due to greater ligand orbital character in the Mo–Mo σ bond (∼7%) versus the W–W σ bond (∼1%). In tribute to F. Albert Cotton for sharing the beauty of symmetry and the joy and excitement in the exploration of metal–metal bonds.     

Quaternary Heusler compounds Co(2-x)Rh(x)MnZ (Z = Ga, Sn, Sb): crystal structure, electronic structure, and magnetic properties

Within the huge family of Heusler compounds only a few quaternary derivatives are known that crystallize in the F43m space group. In this work, the yet unreported compounds CoRhMnZ (Z = Ga, Sn, Sb) and the alloy Co(0.5)Rh(1.5)MnSb were investigated in detail by experimental techniques and theoretical methods. The ab initio calculations predict the CoRhMnZ compounds to be half-metallic ferromagnets or to be close to the half-metallic ferromagnetic state. Calculations of the elastic constants show that the cubic structure is stable in compounds containing Mn. Both calculations and experiment reveal that Mn cannot be exchanged by Fe (CoRhFeGa). The low temperature magnetization of the compounds is in the range of 3.4-5.5 μ(B) depending on the composition. The best agreement between experiment and calculation has been achieved for CoRhMnSn (5 μ(B)). The other compounds are also cubic but tend to anti-site disorder. Compared to Co(2)MnSn it is interesting to note that the magnetic properties and half-metallicity are preserved when replacing one of the 'magnetic' Co atoms by a 'non-magnetic' Rh atom. This allows us to increase the spin-orbit interaction at one of the lattice sites while keeping the properties as a precondition for applications and physical effects relying on a large spin-orbit interaction. The Curie temperatures were determined from measurements in induction fields of up to 1 T by applying molecular field fits respecting the applied field. The highest Curie temperature was found for CoRhMnSn (620 K) that makes it, together with the other well defined properties, attractive for above room temperature spintronic applications.     

Comparison of α CH and CF activation in alkyl transition metal complexes: a DFT and CASSCF study

DFT (B3PW91) and CASSCF calculations have been carried out to study the relative α migratory abilities of H and F in alkyl transition metal complexes. It is shown that the activation energy is considerably lower to migrate H than F, whereas the energies of reaction are similar for the two reactions. A study of the electron configurations and the orbitals describing these configurations shows that the high activation energy for F is due to a 4-electron repulsion between an F lone pair and the occupied Ru=C π orbital.     

Two-particle rapidity correlations in αα, αp,andp p interactions at the CERN intersecting storage rings

Two-particle rapidity correlations have been studied for αα, αp, andp p interactions at the CERN ISR using the Split-Field Magnet (SFM) detector. In order to isolate the true two-particle correlations, the analysis was performed at fixed charged multiplicity. In the framework of a simple cluster model, it is found that cluster widths as well as cluster multiplicities are the same for αα, αp, andp p interactions, and both decrease with increasing charged multiplicity.     

Characterization of the molecular parameters determining charge transport in anthradithiophene

The molecular parameters that govern charge transport in anthradithiophene (ADT) are studied by a joint experimental/theoretical approach involving high-resolution gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum-mechanical methods. The hole reorganization energy of ADT has been determined by an analysis of the vibrational structure of the lowest ionization band in the gas-phase photoelectron spectrum as well as by density-functional theory calculations. In addition, various dimers and clusters of ADT molecules have been considered in order to understand the effect of molecular packing on the hole and electron intermolecular transfer integrals. The results indicate that the intrinsic electronic structure, the relevant intramolecular vibrational modes, and the intermolecular interactions in ADT are very similar to those in pentacene.     

Interaction of C-Si, C-Sn, and Si-Si sigma-bonds with chalcogen lone pairs

The ability of neighboring C-Si, C-Sn, and Si-Si groups in conformationally constrained cyclic molecules to reduce the lowest ionization energies of sulfur, selenium, and tellurium compounds has been determined by charge-transfer spectroscopy of complexes with tetracyanoethylene. For selected compounds, ionization energies were determined by gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy. The lowest ionization energies measured by photoelectron spectroscopy, with one exception, correlate with the charge-transfer spectroscopic data. In addition, theoretical analysis has provided insight into the photoelectron spectra and the geometry-dependent interaction between C-Si or C-Sn bonds and chalcogen lone pairs. Substantial lowering of ionization energies is found which is anticipated to have important consequences in the chemistry of these and related species.     

Charge transport parameters of the pentathienoacene crystal

Pentathienoacene, the thiophene equivalent of pentacene, is one of the latest additions to the family of organic crystal semiconductors with a great potential for use in thin film transistors. By using density functional theory and gas-phase ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, we investigate the microscopic charge transport parameters of the pentathienoacene crystal. We find that the valence band exhibits a stronger dispersion than those in the pentacene and rubrene single crystals with marked uniaxial characteristics within the molecular layer due to the presence of one-dimensional pi-stacks; a small hole effective mass is also found along the direction perpendicular to the molecular layers. In the conduction band, strong intermolecular sulfur-sulfur interactions give rise to a significant interstack electronic coupling whereas the intrastack dispersion is greatly reduced. The intramolecular vibronic coupling (reorganization energy) is stronger than that in pentacene but comparable to that in sexithiophene; it is larger for holes than for electrons, as a result of low-frequency modes induced by the sulfur atoms. The polarization energy is large, but its effect on the vibronic coupling remains small. Charge transport is discussed in the framework of both band and hopping models.     

Electronic structure of the d1 bent-metallocene Cp2VCl2: A photoelectron and density functional study

The Cp₂VCl₂ molecule is a prototype for bent-metallocene complexes with a single electron in the metal d shell, but experimental measure of the binding energy of the d electron by photoelectron spectroscopy eluded early attempts due to apparent decomposition in the spectrometer to Cp₂VCl. With improved instrumentation, the amount of decomposition is reduced and subtraction of ionization intensity due to Cp₂VCl from the Cp₂VCl₂/Cp₂VCl mixed spectrum yields the Cp₂VCl₂ spectrum exclusively. The measured ionization energies provide well-defined benchmarks for electronic structure calculations. Density functional calculations support the spectral interpretations and agree well with the ionization energy of the d¹ electron and the energies of the higher positive ion states of Cp₂VCl₂. The calculations also account well for the trends to the other Group V bent-metallocene dichlorides Cp₂NbCl₂ and Cp₂TaCl₂. The first ionization energy of Cp₂VCl₂ is considerably greater than the first ionization energies of the second- and third-row transition metal analogues.