Fe3s X-ray photoelectron spectra of polynuclear iron complexes

Specific features of the electronic structure and spin magnetic state of iron atoms in bi-, tri-, and hexanuclear iron trimethylacetate complexes were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A correlation was found between the ionicity (of the spin state of iron atoms) and Fe3s binding energies, exchange splitting of the final photoionization state, and the energy position and intensity of charge-transfer satellites. Nonequivalent iron states were identified in tri- and hexanuclear complexes. The overall magnetic moment of the complexes was found to decrease with an increase of the individual magnetic moments of iron atoms, which is evidence of complicated mutual orientation of atomic magnetic moments in the complexes.