Effects of weak intermolecular interactions on the molecular isomerism of tricobalt metal chains.

Depending on the number of interstitial solvent molecules, n, crystals of the linear chain compound Co(3)(dipyridylamide)(4)Cl(2) x nCH(2)Cl(2) adopt either symmetrical or unsymmetrical metal chain structures. We explore here the possible reasons for such behavior using Hirshfeld surface analysis of intermolecular interactions as well as the charge density determined from 100(1) K X-ray diffraction data on the unsymmetrical complex Co(3)(dipyridylamide)(4)Cl(2) x 2.11 CH(2)Cl(2), u-1, and crystal structures of u-1 determined from single crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction data at 20, 150, and 300 K. The new crystal structures are compared with previous structural results on a crystal with slightly different solvent content. This change in solvent content only affects the bond distances to atom Co(3), which are also strongly affected by temperature changes due to a spin crossover transition. Large differences in intermolecular interactions are revealed by the Hirshfeld surface analysis between symmetrical (s-1) and unsymmetrical (u-1) crystal solvates, suggesting that the molecular isomerism is strongly influenced by crystal packing effects. Topological analysis of the static electron density of u-1 suggests that there is direct metal-metal bonding for both the shorter Co(1)-Co(2) and the longer Co(2)-Co(3) contact. The approximate description of the system as a (Co(2))(2+)-dimer and an isolated Co(2+)-ion is reflected in the character of the metal-ligand interactions, which are more ionic for the isolated Co(3) atom, and the topological charges Co(1)(+0.50), Co(2)(+0.77), and Co(3)(+1.36). The two termini of u-1 are found to be very different, both in terms of structural surroundings as well as topology. The central Co(2) atom is similar to a cobalt atom in a tetragonally distorted octahedral environment resulting in preferred occupancy in the t(2g) orbitals. The Co(1) atom has significant deformation in the xz and yz planes (z along the chain axis, x and y toward ligands) reflecting covalent interactions with the terminal chlorine atom Cl(1). The Co(3) atom has a relatively high occupancy of the d(x(2)-y(2)) orbital and a relatively low occupancy of the d(xy) orbital confirming that these orbitals are involved in the spin crossover process and predominantly responsible for the observed variation in bond lengths with temperature.

Short strong hydrogen bonds in 2-acetyl-1,8-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylnaphthalene: an outlier to current hydrogen bonding theory?

The environmental influence on the electronic character of two O-H...O hydrogen bonds in a beta-diketone, 2-acetyl-1,8-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethylnaphthalene, is studied by low-temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction and high-level density functional theory (DFT) calculations. It is revealed that one of the hydrogen bonds is very strong, yet partial localization is found. This result is analyzed by atoms in molecules (AIM) theory and applying the source function. Model compounds, with less steric strain, reveal that the strong hydrogen bond is not merely a result of steric compression.

Synchrotron X-ray charge-density study of coordination polymer [Mn(HCOO)2(H2O)2]infinity.

Three high-quality single-crystal X-ray diffraction data sets have been measured under very different conditions on a structurally simple, but magnetically complex, coordination polymer, [Mn(HCOO)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](infinity) (1). The first data set is a conventional 100(2) K Mo(Kalpha) data set, the second is a very high resolution 100(2) K data set measured on a second-generation synchrotron source, while the third data set was measured with a tiny crystal on a high brilliance third-generation synchrotron source at 16(2) K. Furthermore, the magnetic susceptibility (chi) and the heat capacity (C(p)) have been measured from 2 to 300 K on pressed powder. The charge density of 1 was determined from multipole modeling of the experimental structure factors, and overall there is good agreement between the densities obtained separately from the three data sets. When considering the fine density features, the two 100 K data sets agree well with each other, but show small differences to the 16 K data set. Comparison with ab initio theory suggests that the 16 K APS data set provides the most accurate density. Topological analysis of the metal-ligand bonding, experimental 3d orbital populations on the Mn atoms, and Bader atomic charges indicate quite ionic, high-spin metal atoms. This picture is supported by the effective moment estimated from the magnetization measurements (5.840(2) mu(B)), but it is at variance with earlier spin density measurements from polarized neutron diffraction. The magnetic ordering originates from superexchange involving covalent interactions with the ligands, and non-ionic effects are observed in the static deformation density maps as well as in plots of the valence shell charge concentrations. Overall, the present study provides a benchmark charge density that can be used in comparison with future metal formate dihydrate charge densities.

Synthesis, physical properties, multitemperature crystal structure, and 20 K synchrotron X-ray charge density of a magnetic metal organic framework structure, Mn3(C8O4H4)3(C5H11ON)2.

A new magnetic metal organic framework material has been synthesized, Mn3(C8O4H4)3(C5H11ON)2, 1. Magnetic susceptibility measurements from 2 to 400 K reveal anti-ferromagnetic ordering at approximately 4 K and a total magnetic moment of 6.0 micro(B). The magnetic phase transition is confirmed by heat capacity data (2-300 K). The crystal structure is studied by conventional single-crystal X-ray diffraction data at 300, 275, 250, 225, 200, 175, 150, 125, and 100 K, and synchrotron data at 20 K. There is a phase transition between 100 and 20 K due to ordering of the diethylformamide molecules. The X-ray charge density is determined based on multipole modeling of a second 20 K single-crystal synchrotron radiation data set. The electron distributions around the two unique Mn centers are different, and both have substantial anisotropy. Orbital population analysis reveals large electron donation (1.7 e) to each Mn atom and the maximum possible number of unpaired electrons is 3.2 for both Mn sites. Thus, there is a considerable orbital component to the magnetic moment. Bader topological analysis shows an absence of Mn-Mn bonding, and the magnetic ordering is via super-exchange through the oxygen bridges. Formal electron counting suggests Mn2+ sites, but this is not supported by the Bader atomic charges, Mn1 = +0.11 e, Mn2 = +0.17 e. The topological measures show the dominant metal-ligand interactions to be electrostatic, and a simple exponential correlation is derived between Mn-O bond lengths and the values of nabla2rho at the bond critical points.

The copper(II) complexes di-mu-bromo-bis{[2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine]perchloratocopper(II)} and [2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine]dibromocopper(II).

The two title compounds, di-mu-bromo-bis{[2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl-kappaN(2))pyridine-kappaN](perchlorato-kappaO)copper(II)}, [Cu(2)Br(2)(ClO(4))(2)(C(11)H(9)N(5))(2)], (I), and [2,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine]dibromocopper(II), [CuBr(2)(C(11)H(9)N(5))], (II), were synthesized by only slight modifications of the same reaction; compound (II) was formed by adding one molar equivalent of pyrazole (C(3)N(2)H(4)) to the reaction mixture of (I). Compound (I) is a bromo-bridged dinuclear copper(II) compound stabilized by weak interactions with the perchlorate anions (ClO(4)(-)), while (II) is a related mononuclear species, which has a distorted square-pyramidal geometry.