Molecular and electronic structures of dinuclear iron complexes incorporating strongly electron-donating ligands: implications for the generation of the one- and two-electron oxidized forms

The ligands (L(t-Bu(2)))(2-), (L(Me(2)))(2-), and (L(Cl(2)))(2-) have been employed for the synthesis of the dinuclear Fe(III) complexes [L(t-Bu(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(t-Bu(2))], [L(Me(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(Me(2))], and [L(Cl(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(Cl(2))]. The strongly electron-donating groups (tert-amines and phenolates) were chosen to increase the electron density at the coordinated ferric ions and thus to facilitate the oxidation of the complexes, with the possibility of fine-tuning the electronic structures by variation of the remote substituents. Molecular structures established in the solid (by single-crystal X-ray diffraction) and in solution (by X-ray absorption spectroscopy) show that the Fe ions are five-coordinate in a square-pyramidal coordination environment with the ligand adopting a trans-conformation. Spectroscopic and magnetic characterization establishes the highly covalent nature of the Fe(III)-O(oxo) and Fe(III)-O(Ph) bonds. The variations in the donor capabilities of the phenolates (due to changes in the remote substituents) are compensated for by a flexible electron donation of the Fe(III)-O(oxo) bonding. Spectroelectrochemical characterization demonstrates that [L(t-Bu(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(t-Bu(2))] can be oxidized reversibly at +0.27 and +0.44 V versus Fc(+)/Fc, whereas [L(Me(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(Me(2))] and [L(Cl(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(Cl(2))] exhibit irreversible oxidations at +0.29 and +0.87 V versus Fc(+)/Fc, respectively. UV-vis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and Mo?ssbauer spectroscopy show that the successive oxidations of [L(t-Bu(2))Fe(μ-O)FeL(t-Bu(2))] are ligand-centered leading to the monophenoxyl radical complex [(?)L(t-Bu(2))Fe(III)(μ-O)Fe(III)L(t-Bu(2))](+) (with the oxidation primarily localized on one-half of the molecule) and the diphenoxyl radical complex [(?)L(t-Bu(2))Fe(III)(μ-O)Fe(III?)L(t-Bu(2))](2+). Both products are unstable in solution and decay by cleavage of an Fe(III)-O(oxo) bond. The two-electron oxidized species is more stable because of two equally strong Fe(III)-O(oxo) bonds, whereas in the singly oxidized species the Fe(III)-O(oxo) bond of the non-oxidized half is weakened. The decay of the monocation results in the formation of [L(t-Bu(2))Fe(III)](+) and [L(t-Bu(2))Fe(IV)=O], while the decay of the dication yields [(?)L(t-Bu(2))Fe(III)](2+) and [L(t-Bu(2))Fe(IV)=O]. Follow-up reactions of the oxidized fragments with the counteranion of the oxidant, [SbCl(6)](-), leads to the formation of [Fe(III)Cl(4)](-).