A Survey of the Angular Distortion Landscape in the Coordination Geometries of High-Spin Iron(II) 2,6-Bis(pyrazolyl)pyridine Complexes.

Reaction of 2,4,6-trifluoropyridine with sodium 3,4-dimethoxybenzenethiolate and 2 equiv of sodium pyrazolate in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature affords 4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylsulfanyl)-2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine (L), in 30% yield. The iron(II) complexes [FeL2][BF4]2 (1a) and [FeL2][ClO4]2 (1b) are high-spin with a highly distorted six-coordinate geometry. This structural deviation from ideal D2d symmetry is common in high-spin [Fe(bpp)2]2+ (bpp = di{pyrazol-1-yl}pyridine) derivatives, which are important in spin-crossover materials research. The magnitude of the distortion in 1a and 1b is the largest yet discovered for a mononuclear complex. Gas-phase DFT calculations at the ω-B97X-D/6-311G** level of theory identified four minimum or local minimum structural pathways across the distortion landscape, all of which are observed experimentally in different complexes. Small distortions from D2d symmetry are energetically favorable in complexes with electron-donating ligand substituents, including sulfanyl groups, which also have smaller energy penalties associated with the lowest energy distortion pathway. Natural population analysis showed that these differences reflect greater changes to the Fe-N{pyridyl} σ-bonding as the distortion proceeds, in the presence of more electron-rich pyridyl donors. The results imply that [Fe(bpp)2]2+ derivatives with electron-donating pyridyl substituents are more likely to undergo cooperative spin transitions in the solid state. The high-spin salt [Fe(bpp)2][CF3SO3]2, which also has a strong angular distortion, is also briefly described and included in the analysis.

Di-Iron(II) [2+2] Helicates of Bis-(Dipyrazolylpyridine) Ligands: The Influence of the Ligand Linker Group on Spin State Properties.

Four bis[2-{pyrazol-1-yl}-6-{pyrazol-3-yl}pyridine] ligands have been synthesized, with butane-1,4-diyl (L1 ), pyrid-2,6-diyl (L2 ), benzene-1,2-dimethylenyl (L3 ) and propane-1,3-diyl (L4 ) linkers between the tridentate metal-binding domains. L1 and L2 form [Fe2 (µ-L)2 ]X4 (X- =BF4 - or ClO4 - ) helicate complexes when treated with the appropriate iron(II) precursor. Solvate crystals of [Fe2 (µ-L1 )2 ][BF4 ]4 exhibit three different helicate conformations, which differ in the torsions of their butanediyl linker groups. The solvates exhibit gradual thermal spin-crossover, with examples of stepwise switching and partial spin-crossover to a low-temperature mixed-spin form. Salts of [Fe2 (µ-L2 )2 ]4+ are high-spin, which reflects their highly twisted iron coordination geometry. The composition and dynamics of assembly structures formed by iron(II) with L1 -L3 vary with the ligand linker group, by mass spectrometry and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Gas-phase DFT calculations imply the butanediyl linker conformation in [Fe2 (µ-L1 )2 ]4+ influences its spin state properties, but show anomalies attributed to intramolecular electrostatic repulsion between the iron atoms.

Ligand-Directed Metalation of a Gold Pyrazolate Cluster.

Solid "[AuL]" (HL = 3-[pyrid-2-yl]-5-tertbutyl-1H-pyrazole) can be crystallized as cyclic [Au3(µ-L)3] and [Au4(µ-L)4] clusters from different solvents. The crystalline tetramer contains a square Au4 core with an HT:TH:TH:HT arrangement of ligand substituents, which preorganizes the cluster to chelate to additional metal ions via its pendant pyridyl groups. The addition of 0.5 equiv of AgBF4 to [AuL] yields [Ag2Au4(µ3-L)4][BF4]2, where two edges of the Au4 square are spanned by Ag+ ions via metallophilic Ag···Au contacts. Treatment of [AuL] with [Cu(NCMe)4]PF6 affords the metalloligand helicate [Cu2Au2(µ-L)4][PF6]2, via oxidation of the copper and partial fragmentation of the cluster.

Jahn-Teller Switching of a Redox-Active Nickel(III) Center in a Homoleptic Thiolato Metalloligand Environment.

Treatment of nickel(II) nitrate with the iridium(III) metalloligand fac-[Ir(apt)3] (apt = 3-aminopropanethiolate) gave the trinuclear complex [Ni{Ir(apt)3}2](NO3)3 ([1Ir](NO3)3), in which the nickel center has a formal oxidation state of +III. Chemical or electrochemical oxidation and reduction of [1Ir](NO3)3 generated the corresponding trinuclear complexes [Ni{Ir(apt)3}2](NO3)4 ([1Ir](NO3)4) and [Ni{Ir(apt)3}2](NO3)2 ([1Ir](NO3)2) with one-electron oxidated and reduced states, respectively. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography revealed that the nickel center in [1Ir](NO3)3 is situated in a highly distorted octahedron due to Jahn-Teller effect, while the nickel center in each of [1Ir](NO3)4 and [1Ir](NO3)2 adopts a normal octahedral geometry. Crystals of [1Ir](NO3)3·2H2O are dehydrated on heating while retaining their single-crystallinity. The dehydration induces temperature-dependent dynamic disorder of the Jahn-Teller distortion at the nickel(III) center, which is largely quenched upon rehydration of the crystal.

Structural Transformations and Spin-Crossover in [FeL2 ]2+ Salts (L=4-{tert-Butylsulfanyl}-2,6-di{pyrazol-1-yl}pyridine): The Influence of Bulky Ligand Substituents.

4-(tert-Butylsulfanyl)-2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine (L) was obtained in low yield from a one-pot reaction of 2,4,6-trifluoropyridine with 2-methylpropane-2-thiolate and sodium pyrazolate in a 1:1:2 ratio. The materials [FeL2 ][BF4 ]2 ⋅solv (1[BF4 ]2 ⋅solv) and [FeL2 ][ClO4 ]2 ⋅solv (1[ClO4 ]2 ⋅solv; solv=MeNO2 , MeCN or Me2 CO) exhibit a variety of structures and spin-state behaviors including thermal spin-crossover (SCO). Solvent loss on heating 1[BF4 ]2 ⋅x MeNO2 (x≈2.3) occurs in two steps. The intermediate phase exhibits hysteretic SCO around 250 K, involving a "reverse-SCO" step in its warming cycle at a scan rate of 5 K min-1 . The reverse-SCO is not observed in a slower 1 K min-1 measurement, however, confirming its kinetic nature. The final product [FeL2 ][BF4 ]2 ⋅0.75 MeNO2 was crystallographically characterized, and shows abrupt but incomplete SCO at 172 K which correlates with disorder of an L ligand. The asymmetric unit of 1[BF4 ]2 ⋅y Me2 CO (y≈1.6) contains five unique complex molecules, four of which undergo gradual SCO in at least two discrete steps. Low-spin 1[ClO4 ]2 ⋅0.5 Me2 CO is not isostructural with its BF4 - congener, and undergoes single-crystal-to-single-crystal solvent loss with a tripling of the crystallographic unit cell volume, while retaining the P 1 ‾ space group. Three other solvate salts undergo gradual thermal SCO. Two of these are isomorphous at room temperature, but transform to different low-temperature phases when the materials are fully low-spin.

Structures and Spin States of Iron(II) Complexes of Isomeric 2,6-Di(1,2,3-triazolyl)pyridine Ligands.

Iron(II) complex salts of 2,6-di(1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)pyridine (L1) are unexpectedly unstable in undried solvent. This is explained by the isolation of [Fe(L1)4(H2O)2][ClO4]2 and [Fe(NCS)2(L1)2(H2O)2]·L1, containing L1 bound as a monodentate ligand rather than in the expected tridentate fashion. These complexes associate into 44 grid structures through O-H···N hydrogen bonding; a solvate of a related 44 coordination framework, catena-[Cu(µ-L1)2(H2O)2][BF4]2, is also presented. The isomeric ligands 2,6-di(1,2,3-triazol-2-yl)pyridine (L2) and 2,6-di(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine (L3) bind to iron(II) in a more typical tridentate fashion. Solvates of [Fe(L3)2][ClO4]2 are low-spin and diamagnetic in the solid state and in solution, while [Fe(L2)2][ClO4]2 and [Co(L3)2][BF4]2 are fully high-spin. Treatment of L3 with methyl iodide affords 2,6-di(2-methyl-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine (L4) and 2-(1-methyl-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-6-(2-methyl-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine (L5). While salts of [Fe(L5)2]2+ are low-spin in the solid state, [Fe(L4)2][ClO4]2·H2O is high-spin, and [Fe(L4)2][ClO4]2·3MeNO2 exhibits a hysteretic spin transition to 50% completeness at T1/2 = 128 K (ΔT1/2 = 6 K). This transition proceeds via a symmetry-breaking phase transition to an unusual low-temperature phase containing three unique cation sites with high-spin, low-spin, and 1:1 mixed-spin populations. The unusual distribution of the spin states in the low-temperature phase reflects "spin-state frustration" of the mixed-spin cation site by an equal number of high-spin and low-spin nearest neighbors. Gas-phase density functional theory calculations reproduce the spin-state preferences of these and some related complexes. These highlight the interplay between the σ-basicity and π-acidity of the heterocyclic donors in this ligand type, which have opposing influences on the molecular ligand field. The Brønsted basicities of L1-L3 are very sensitive to the linkage isomerism of their triazolyl donors, which explains why their iron complex spin states show more variation than the better-known iron(II)/2,6-dipyrazolylpyridine system.

Spin-States of Diastereomeric Iron(II) Complexes of 2,6-Bis(thiazolin-2-yl)pyridine (ThioPyBox) Ligands and a Comparison with the Corresponding PyBox Derivatives.

This report investigates homoleptic iron(II) complexes of thiazolinyl analogues of chiral PyBox tridentate ligands: 2,6-bis(4-phenyl-4,5-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)pyridine (L1Ph), 2,6-bis(4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)pyridine (L1iPr), and 2,6-bis(4-tert-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)pyridine (L1t-Bu). Crystallographic data imply the larger and more flexible thiazolinyl rings reduce steric clashes between the R substituents in homochiral [Fe((R)-L1R)2]2+ or [Fe((S)-L1R)2]2+ (R = Ph, iPr, or t-Bu), compared to their PyBox (L2R) analogues. Conversely, the larger heterocyclic S atoms are in close contact with the R substituents in heterochiral [Fe((R)-L1Ph)((S)-L1Ph)]2+, giving it a more sterically hindered ligand environment than that in [Fe((R)-L2Ph)((S)-L2Ph)]2+ (L2Ph = 2,6-bis(4-phenyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)pyridine). Preformed [Fe((R)-L1Ph)((S)-L1Ph)]2+ and [Fe((R)-L1iPr)((S)-L1iPr)]2+ do not racemize by ligand redistribution in CD3CN solution, but homochiral [Fe(L1iPr)2]2+ and [Fe(L1t-Bu)2]2+ both undergo partial ligand displacement in that solvent. Homochiral [Fe(L1Ph)2]2+ and [Fe(L1iPr)2]2+ exhibit spin-crossover equilibria in CD3CN, centered at 344 ± 6 K and 277 ± 1 K respectively, while their heterochiral congeners are essentially low-spin within the liquid range of the solvent. These data imply that the diastereomers of [Fe(L1Ph)2]2+ and [Fe(L1iPr)2]2+ show a greater difference in their spin-state behaviors than was previous found for [Fe(L2Ph)2]2+. Gas-phase DFT calculations (B86PW91/def2-SVP) of the [Fe(L1R)2]2+ and [Fe(L2R)2]2+ complexes reproduce most of the observed trends, but they overstabilize the high-spin state of SCO-active [Fe(L1iPr)2]2+ by ca. 1.5 kcal mol-1. This might reflect the influence of intramolecular dispersion interactions on the spin states of these compounds. Attempts to model this with the dispersion-corrected functionals B97-D2 or PBE-D3 were less successful than our original protocol, confirming that the spin states of sterically hindered molecules are a challenging computational problem.

Elucidating the Structural Chemistry of a Hysteretic Iron(II) Spin-Crossover Compound From its Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Congeners.

Annealing [FeL2 ][BF4 ]2 ⋅2 H2 O (L=2,6-bis-[5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]pyridine) affords an anhydrous material, which undergoes a spin transition at T1/2 =205 K with a 65 K thermal hysteresis loop. This occurs through a sequence of phase changes, which were monitored by powder diffraction in an earlier study. [CuL2 ][BF4 ]2 ⋅2 H2 O and [ZnL2 ][BF4 ]2 ⋅2 H2 O are not perfectly isostructural but, unlike the iron compound, they undergo single-crystal-to-single-crystal dehydration upon annealing. All the annealed compounds initially adopt the same tetragonal phase but undergo a phase change near room temperature upon re-cooling. The low-temperature phase of [CuL2 ][BF4 ]2 involves ordering of its Jahn-Teller distortion, to a monoclinic lattice with three unique cation sites. The zinc compound adopts a different, triclinic low-temperature phase with significant twisting of its coordination sphere, which unexpectedly becomes more pronounced as the crystal is cooled. Synchrotron powder diffraction data confirm that the structural changes in the anhydrous zinc complex are reproduced in the high-spin iron compound, before the onset of spin-crossover. This will contribute to the wide hysteresis in the spin transition of the iron complex. EPR spectra of copper-doped [Fe0.97 Cu0.03 L2 ][BF4 ]2 imply its low-spin phase contains two distinct cation environments in a 2:1 ratio.

Modulating the Magnetic Properties of Copper(II)/Nitroxyl Heterospin Complexes by Suppression of the Jahn-Teller Distortion.

A series of six-coordinate [Cu(L)L1][BF4]2 (L1 = 2,6-bis{1-oxyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl}pyridine) complexes are reported. Ferromagnetic coupling between the Cu and L1 ligand spins is enhanced by an L coligand with distal methyl substituents, which is attributed to a sterically induced suppression of its Jahn-Teller distortion.

Supramolecular Iron Metallocubanes Exhibiting Site-Selective Thermal and Light-Induced Spin-Crossover.

Treatment of Fe[BF4]2·6H2O with 4,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)-1H-pyrimid-2-one (HL1) or 4,6-di(4-methylpyrazol-1-yl)-1H-pyrimid-2-one (HL2) affords solvated crystals of [{FeIII(OH2)6}⊂FeII8(µ-L)12][BF4]7 (1, HL = HL1; 2, HL = HL2). The centrosymmetric complexes contain a cubic arrangement of iron(II) centers, with bis-bidentate [L]- ligands bridging the edges of the cube. The encapsulated [Fe(OH2)6]3+ moiety templates the assembly through 12 O-H···O hydrogen bonds to the [L]- hydroxylate groups. All four unique iron(II) ions in the cages are crystallographically high-spin at 250 K, but they undergo a gradual high → low spin-crossover on cooling, which is predominantly centered on one iron(II) site and its symmetry-related congener. This was confirmed by magnetic susceptibility data, light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) effect measurements, and, for 1, Mössbauer spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance data. The clusters are stable in MeCN solution, and 1 remains high-spin above 240 K in that solvent. The cubane assembly was not obtained from reactions using other iron(II) salts or 4,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine ligands, highlighting the importance of hydrogen bonding in templating the cubane assembly.

Relationship between the Molecular Structure and Switching Temperature in a Library of Spin-Crossover Molecular Materials.

Structure-function relationships relating the spin-crossover (SCO) midpoint temperature (T1/2) in the solid state are surveyed for 43 members of the iron(II) dipyrazolylpyridine family of SCO compounds. The difference between T1/2 in the solid state and in solution [ΔT(latt)] is proposed as a measure of the lattice contribution to the transition temperature. Negative linear correlations between the SCO temperature and the magnitude of the rearrangement of the coordination sphere during SCO are evident among isostructural or near-isostructural subsets of compounds; that is, a larger change in the molecular structure during SCO stabilizes the high-spin state of a material. Improved correlations are often obtained when ΔT(latt), rather than the raw T1/2 value, is considered as the measure of the SCO temperature. Different lattice types show different tendencies to stabilize the high-spin or low-spin state of the molecules they contain, which correlates with the structural changes that most influence ΔT(latt) in each case. These relationships are mostly unaffected by the SCO cooperativity in the compounds or by the involvement of any crystallographic phase changes. One or two materials within each subset are outliers in some or all of these correlations, however, which, in some cases, can be attributed to small differences in their ligand geometry or unusual phase behavior during SCO. A reinvestigation of the structural chemistry of [Fe(3-bpp)2][NCS]2·nH2O [3-bpp = bis(1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine; n = 0 or 2], undertaken as part of this study, is also presented.

An Incomplete Spin Transition Associated with a Z'=1→Z'=24†Crystallographic Symmetry Breaking.

Crystalline [FeL2 ][BF4 ]2 ⋅Me2 CO (L=N-[2,6-di{pyrazol-1-yl}pyrid-4-yl]acetamide) is high-spin at room temperature, and undergoes an abrupt, hysteretic spin-crossover at T1/2 =137 K (ΔT1/2 =14 K) that proceeds to about 50 % completeness. This is associated with a crystallographic phase transition, from phase 1 (P21 /c, Z=4) to phase 2 (P21 , Z=48). The cations associate into chains in the crystal through weak intermolecular π⋅⋅⋅π interactions. Phase 2 contains a mixture of high-spin and low-spin molecules, which are grouped into triads along these chains. The perchlorate salt [FeL2 ][ClO4 ]2 ⋅Me2 CO also adopts phase 1 at room temperature but undergoes a different phase transition near 135 K to phase 3 (P21 /c, Z=8) without a change in spin state.

Ab Initio Ligand Field Molecular Mechanics and the Nature of Metal-Ligand π-Bonding in Fe(II) 2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine Spin Crossover Complexes.

A ligand field molecular mechanics (LFMM) force field has been constructed for the spin states of [Fe(bpp)2 ]2+ (bpp=2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine) and related complexes. A new charge scheme is employed which interpolates between partial charges for neutral bpp and protonated [H3 bpp]3+ to achieve a target metal charge. The LFMM angular overlap model (AOM) parameters are fitted to fully ab initio d orbital energies. However, several AOM parameter sets are possible. The ambiguity is resolved by calculating the Jahn-Teller distortion mode for high spin, which indicates that in [Fe(bpp)2 ]2+ pyridine is a π-acceptor and pyrazole a weak π-donor. The alternative fit, assumed previously, where both ligands act as π-donors leads to an inconsistent distortion. LFMM optimisations in the presence of [BF4 ]- or [PF6 ]- anions are in good agreement with experiment and the model also correctly predicts the spin state energetics for 3-pyrazolyl substituents where the interactions are mainly steric. However, for 4-pyridyl or 4-pyrazolyl substituents, LFMM only treats the electrostatic contribution which, for the pyridyl substituents, generates a fair correlation with the spin crossover transition temperatures, T1/2 , but in the reverse sense to the dominant electronic effect. Thus, LFMM generates its smallest spin state energy difference for the substituent with the highest T1/2 . One parameter set for all substituted bpp ligands is insufficient and further LFMM development will be required.

Interplay between Dopant Species and a Spin-Crossover Host Lattice during Light-Induced Excited-Spin-State Trapping Probed by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Q-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data conclusively demonstrate that the iron and cobalt centers in the solid solution [Fe(bpp)2]0.97[Co(terpy)2]0.03[BF4]2 (bpp = 2,6-dipyrazol-1-ylpyridine) undergo allosteric spin-state switching during light-induced excited-spin-state trapping (LIESST) at 20 K and thermal relaxation around 80 K. EPR of [Cu(terpy)2]2+ and [Cu(bpp)2]2+, doped into the same host lattice, also indicates expansion of the copper coordination sphere during LIESST excitation.

2,6-Bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine-4-carboxylate Esters with Alkyl Chain Substituents and Their Iron(II) Complexes.

Two series of 4-(alkoxyphenyl) 2,6-bis{pyrazol-1-yl}pyridine-4-carboxyate (L3R) or alkyl 2,6-bis{pyrazol-1-yl}pyridine-4-carboxyate (L4R) esters have been synthesized and complexed to iron(II), where R = C nH2 n+1 ( n = 6, 12, 14, 16, 18); two other derivatives related to L3R are also reported. While the solid [Fe(L4R)2][BF4]2 compounds are isostructural by powder diffraction and show similar spin state behaviors, the [Fe(L3R)2][BF4]2 series shows more varied structures and magnetic properties. This was confirmed by solvated crystal structures of [Fe(L3R)2][BF4]2 with n = 6, 14, 16, which all adopt the P1̅ space group but show significantly different side-chain conformations and/or crystal packing. The solid complexes are mostly low spin at room temperature, with many exhibiting the onset of thermal spin crossover (SCO) upon warming. Heating the complexes with n ≥ 14 significantly above their SCO temperature transforms them irreversibly into a predominantly high spin state, which is accompanied by structure changes and loss of crystallinity by powder diffraction. These transformations do not coincide with lattice solvent loss and may reflect melting and refreezing of their alkyl chain conformations during the thermal cycle. Four of the complexes exhibit SCO in CD3CN solution with T1/2 = 273-277 K, which is apparently unaffected by their alkyl chain substituents.

Spin States of Homochiral and Heterochiral Isomers of [Fe(PyBox)2 ]2+ Derivatives.

The following iron(II) complexes of 2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine (PyBox; LH ) derivatives are reported: [Fe(LH )2 ][ClO4 ]2 (1); [Fe((R)-LMe )2 ][ClO4 ]2 ((R)-2; LMe =2,6-bis{4-methyloxazolinyl}pyridine); [Fe((R)-LPh )2 ][ClO4 ]2 ((R)-3) and [Fe((R)-LPh )((S)-LPh )][ClO4 ]2 ((RS)-3; LPh =2,6-bis{4-phenyloxazolinyl}pyridine); and [Fe((R)-LiPr )2 ][ClO4 ]2 ((R)-4) and [Fe((R)-LiPr )((S)-LiPr )][ClO4 ]2 ((RS)-4; LiPr =2,6-bis{4-isopropyloxazolinyl}pyridine). Solid (R)-3⋅MeNO2 exhibits an unusual very gradual, but discontinuous thermal spin-crossover with an approximate T1/2 of 350 K. The discontinuity around 240 K lies well below T1/2 , and is unconnected to a crystallographic phase change occurring at 170 K. Rather, it can be correlated with a gradual ordering of the ligand conformation as the temperature is raised. The other solid compounds either exhibit spin-crossover above room temperature (1 and (RS)-3), or remain high-spin between 5-300 K [(R)-2, (R)-4 and (RS)-4]. Homochiral (R)-3 and (R)-4 exhibit more twisted ligand conformations and coordination geometries than their heterochiral isomers, which can be attributed to steric clashes between ligand substituents [(R)-3]; or, between the isopropyl substituents of one ligand and the backbone of the other ((R)-4). In solution, (RS)-3 retains its structural integrity but (RS)-4 undergoes significant racemization through ligand redistribution by 1 H NMR. (R)-4 and (RS)-4 remain high-spin in solution, whereas the other compounds all undergo spin-crossover equilibria. Importantly, T1/2 for (R)-3 (244 K) is 34 K lower than for (RS)-3 (278 K) in CD3 CN, which is the first demonstration of chiral discrimination between metal ion spin states in a molecular complex.

Gradual Thermal Spin-Crossover Mediated by a Reentrant Z' = 1 → Z' = 6 → Z' = 1 Phase Transition.

The Fe[BF4]2 complex of the Schiff base podand tris[4-(thiazol-4-yl)-3-aza-3-butenyl]amine exhibits gradual thermal spin-crossover with T1/2 ≈ 208 K in the solid state. A weak discontinuity in the magnetic susceptibility curve at 190 K is associated with a reentrant symmetry-breaking transition involving a trebling of the unit cell volume (from P21/c, Z = 4, to P21, Z = 12). The intermediate phase contains six independent cations in puckered layers of low-spin, and high-spin or mixed-spin, molecules with an overall 30% high-spin population at 175 K.

Iron(II) Complexes of 2,4-Dipyrazolyl-1,3,5-triazine Derivatives-The Influence of Ligand Geometry on Metal Ion Spin State.

Seven [FeL2][BF4]2 complex salts were prepared, where L is a 6-substituted 2,4-di(pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (bpt) derivative. The complexes are all crystallographically high-spin, and exhibit significant distortions from an ideal D2d-symmetric coordination geometry. In one case, an unusual type of metal ion disorder was observed among a cubic array of ligands in the crystal lattice. The complexes are also high-spin between 3 and 300 K in the solid state and, where measured, between 239 and 333 K in CD3CN solution. This result is unexpected, since homoleptic iron(II) complexes of related 2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine, 2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyrazine, and 2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine derivatives often exhibit thermal spin-crossover behavior. Gas-phase density functional theory calculations confirm the high-spin form of [Fe(bpt)2]2+ and its derivatives is stabilized relative to iron(II) complexes of the other ligand types. This reflects a weaker Fe/pyrazolyl σ-bonding interaction, which we attribute to a small narrowing of the chelate ligand bite angle associated with the geometry of the 1,3,5-triazinyl ring. Hence, the high-spin state of [Fe(bpt)2]2+ centers does not reflect the electronic properties of its heterocyclic ligand donors but is imposed by the bpt ligand conformation. A high-spin homoleptic iron(III) complex of one of the bpt derivatives was also synthesized.

Different Spin-State Behaviors in Isostructural Solvates of a Molecular Iron(II) Complex.

The complex [FeL2][BF4]2 (1; L=4-(isopropylsulfanyl)-2,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine) forms solvate crystals 1⋅solv (solv=MeNO2, MeCN, EtCN, or Me2 CO). Most of these materials lose their solvent sluggishly on heating. However, heating 1⋅MeNO2 at 450 K, or storing 1⋅EtCN under ambient conditions, leads to single-crystal to single-crystal exchange of the organic solvent for atmospheric moisture, forming 1⋅H2O. Solvent-free 1 (1⋅sf) can be generated in situ by annealing 1⋅H2O at 370 K in the diffractometer or magnetometer. The different forms of 1 are isostructural (P21 /c, Z=4) and most of them exhibit spin-crossover (SCO) at 141 ≤ T1/2 ≤ 212 K, depending on their solvent content. The exception is the EtCN solvate, whose pristine crystals remain high-spin between 3-300 K. The cooperativity of the spin-transitions depends on the solvent, ranging from gradual and incomplete when solv=acetone to abrupt with 17 K hysteresis when solv=MeCN. Our previously proposed relationship between molecular structure and SCO explains some of these observations, but there is no single structural feature that correlates with SCO in all the 1⋅solv materials. However, changes to the unit cell dimensions during SCO differ significantly between the solvates, and correlate with the SCO cooperativity. In particular, the percentage change in unit cell volume during SCO for the most cooperative material, 1⋅MeCN, is 10 times smaller than for the other 1⋅solv crystals.

Multifrequency cw-EPR and DFT Studies of an Apparent Compressed Octahedral Cu(II) Complex.

The syntheses and single-crystal X-ray structures of the mononuclear complexes [Cu(bmet)](ClO4)2·H2O, [Cu(bmet)]Br2·2MeCN, and [Zn(bmet)](ClO4)2·H2O (bmet = N,N'-bis(2,2'-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine) are described. All three complexes feature a central metal ion bound to all six N atoms of the bmet ligand, which displays a meridional-facial-facial-meridional (mffm) configuration. The three complexes show one N-M-N axis to be significantly shorter than the others in agreement with an apparent compressed octahedral geometry. The X-ray structures of a single crystal of [Cu(bmet)](ClO4)2·0.375H2O resolved from data recorded at different temperatures display no remarkable structural modifications. However, they all display both as a powder and, in solution, an axial g1 > g2 ≳ g3 > g(e) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) pattern at low temperature, which is indicative of tetragonally elongated octahedra, while at room temperature the Q-band EPR spectra display a more rhombic g1 ≳ g2 > g3 > g(e) pattern. The fully density functional theory optimized structure of the Cu(II) complexes displays significant structural modifications only along one N(imine)-M-N(amine) axis resulting in an elongated octahedral structure. Furthermore, the EPR parameters predicted from this structure are comparable to those determined experimentally from the axial EPR signal recorded at low temperature, consistent with the unpaired electron residing mainly in the {3d(x(2)-y(2))} orbital. The structural and electronic properties of [Cu(bmet)](2+) are different from those in other previously described dynamic Jahn-Teller systems. We propose that these data can be rationalized by a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect perturbed by the strain of the hexadentate bmet ligand.