Synthesis of bromine- or aryl-substituted ditopic Schiff base ligands and their bimetallic iron(II) complexes: electronic and magnetic properties

Syntheses of three new ditopic Schiff base ligands bearing bromine, phenyl or 2-thienyl substituents are described. Bimetallic iron(II) complexes were prepared from these ligands and were characterized. Electrochemical measurements suggest no measurable electronic coupling between the metal ions in each complex. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate gradual spin-crossover is operative in the complexes studied, with the low-spin state as the ground state in all cases. Density functional theory calculations corroborate these experimental observations. Attempts to electropolymerize the 2-thienyl-substituted complexes were not successful.