A charge-transfer-induced spin transition in a discrete complex: the role of extrinsic factors in stabilizing three electronic isomeric forms of a cyanide-bridged co/fe cluster

A series of bimetallic, trigonal bipyramidal clusters of type {Co(N-N)(2)](3)Fe(CN)(6)](2)} are reported. The reaction of {Co(tmphen)(2)}(2+) with Fe(CN)(6)](3)(-) in MeCN affords {Co(tmphen)(2)](3)Fe(CN)(6)](2)} (1). The cluster can exist in three different solid-state phases: a red crystalline phase, a blue solid phase obtained by exposure of the red crystals to moisture, and a red solid phase obtained by desolvation of the blue solid phase in vacuo. The properties of cluster 1 are extremely sensitive to both temperature and solvent content in each of these phases. Variable-temperature X-ray crystallography; (57)Fe Mossbauer, vibrational, and optical spectroscopies; and magnetochemical studies were used to study the three phases of 1 and related compounds, Na{Co(tmphen)(2)](3)Fe(CN)(6)](2)}(ClO(4))(2) (2), {Co(bpy)(2)](3)Fe(CN)(6)](2)}Fe(CN)(6)](1/3) (3), and {Ni(tmphen)(2)](3)Fe(CN)(6)](2)} (4). The combined structural and spectroscopic investigation of 1-4 leads to the unambiguous conclusion that 1 can exist in different electronic isomeric forms, {Co(III)(2)Co(II)Fe(II)(2)} (1A), {Co(III)Co(II)(2)Fe(III)Fe(II)} (1B), and {Co(II)(3)Fe(III)(2)} (1C), and that it can undergo a charge-transfer-induced spin transition (CTIST). This is the first time that such a phenomenon has been observed for a Co/Fe molecule.