Tuning of the [Cu3(mu-O)]4+/5+ redox couple: spectroscopic evidence of charge delocalization in the mixed-valent [Cu3(mu-O)]5+ species.

Trinuclear Cu (II)-complexes of formula [Cu (II) 3(mu 3-E)(mu-4-R-pz) 3X 3] (+/- n ), E = O and OH; R = H, Cl, Br, CH(O) and NO 2; X = Cl, NCS, CH 3COO, and py, have been synthesized and characterized and the effect of substitution of terminal ligands, as well as 4-R-groups, in the one-electron oxidation process has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry. In situ UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemical characterization of the mixed valence Cu 3 (7+)-complex [Cu 3(mu 3-O)(mu-pz) 3Cl 3] (-) revealed an intervalence charge transfer band at 9550 cm (-1) (epsilon = 2600 cm (-1) M (-1)), whose analysis identifies this species as a delocalized, Robin-Day class-III system, with an electronic coupling factor, H ab, of 4775 cm (-1).

Trinuclear, antiferromagnetically coupled Cu(II) complex with an EPR spectrum of mononuclear Cu(II): effect of alcoholic solvents.

A rigid trinuclear copper pyrazolato framework supports the solvolytic exchange of mu3-X by mu3-OR ligands (X = Cl and Br; R = alkyl group), converting the trinuclear ferromagnetically coupled S = 3/2 system to antiferromagnetically coupled S = 1/2 in the solid state. In contrast, we propose that, in alcoholic solutions, solvolysis results in unsymmetrical coordination of the Cu3 cluster, magnetically decoupling one Cu center from the other two. This disguises the intact triangular Cu(II)3 system as a mononuclear Cu(II) complex in its electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum.