Hypersensitive pressure-dependence of the conversion temperature of hysteretic valence tautomeric manganese-nitronyl nitroxide radical 2D-frameworks.

Valence tautomeric manganese(ii)-radical lamellar compounds {[Mn2(NITIm)3]X}n with NITIm a nitronyl nitroxide radical and X = ClO4- (1) or BF4- (2) show a pressure-induced increase of their conversion temperature by approximately 40 K at a mild external pressure of 0.1 GPa, shifting the transition from near room temperature to hot temperature regions.

Thermally-induced hysteretic valence tautomeric conversions in the solid state via two-step labile electron transfers in manganese-nitronyl nitroxide 2D-frameworks.

Near room temperature hysteretic thermo-induced valence tautomerism was discovered in a layered 2D-coordination polymer of manganese(ii) with nitronyl nitroxide radicals separated by ClO4- anions (1). This opens a novel approach towards switchable materials with hysteresis and under ambient conditions with prospects for applications and for investigating solid-state intramolecular electron transfers. Herein, two new compounds with similar layered structures where the anions (X) are BF4- (2) or PF6- (3) are presented. Their magnetic behaviors also reveal hysteretic thermo-induced valence tautomeric conversions but in two steps and evidencing a strong effect of the anion. This occurs near room temperature (278-220 K) for 2 and higher for 3 (380-330 K). Their single crystal structures at different temperatures show that this involves two successive thermally-triggered electron transfers with switching between three redox tautomers formulated as {[MnII2-yMnIIIy(NITIm)3-y(NITRed)y]X}n, where y is temperature dependent. Upon cooling from the high-temperature redox-tautomer (y = 0) to the intermediate one (y = 1), half of the manganese(ii) centers are oxidized to manganese(iii) and 1/3 of the nitronyl nitroxide radicals (NITIm-) are reduced to the aminoxyl form (NITRed2-). On further cooling, the second half of the manganese(ii) centers are oxidized and another 1/3 of the radicals are reduced to reach the low-temperature redox-tautomer (y = 2). Upon reheating, reverse electron transfers occur. This is complementarily supported by X-ray powder measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and electron paramagnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopies. These multi-stable compounds in which manganese ions exchange reversibly their electron with the nitronyl nitroxide radical are outstanding rare examples of two-step valence tautomerism in the solid state promoted by the polymeric structure.

Mononuclear manganese(iii) complexes with reduced imino nitroxide radicals by single-electron transfer and intermolecular hydrogen bonds as an intramolecular structural driving force.

Manganese(iii) complexes were synthesized by one-electron transfer from a Mn(ii) ion to the imino nitroxide radical 2-(2-imidazolyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl (IMImH) in methanol. After the manganese ions attained the +III oxidation state, the imino nitroxide radicals were found to be irreversibly reduced in the complexes. Depending on the synthesis conditions, two complexes differing by their counter-anions were isolated as single crystals. These are [Mn(IMHIm)2(MeOH)2]ClO4·H2O (1) and [Mn(IMHIm)2(MeOH)2]PF6 (2), which crystallize in the monoclinic P21/n and triclinic P1[combining macron] space groups, respectively. The two complexes show Jahn-Teller distortions typical of Mn(iii) centres and only reduced radicals are coordinated, as indicated by the N-O bond lengths and electroneutrality. In addition, the crystal structure analyses reveal two intermolecular hydrogen bonding networks. One involves counter-anions, water molecules and reduced radicals, and the other involves coordinated methanol molecules and imidazole moieties. These intermolecular interactions are driving forces that stabilize the two complexes. They also suggest that the tautomer is in the amino imine-oxide form after reduction of the radical and reveal the deprotonation of the imidazole ring, which is required for electroneutrality. This assessment is supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, EPR and Raman spectroscopy as well as magnetic and electrochemical studies.

Discrete polynuclear manganese(ii) complexes with thiacalixarene ligands: synthesis, structures and photophysical properties.

The synthesis, crystal structure and photophysical properties of the new compound [Mn4(ThiaSO2)2F][K(18-crown-6)], ThiaSO2 = p-tert-butylsulphonylcalix[4]arene, are presented and compared to the ones of [Mn4(ThiaSO2)2F]K. The strong orange luminescence is attributed to the Mn(2+) centred (4)T1→(6)A1 transition. Its temperature and pressure dependence and quenching by molecular dioxygen are reported. The latter is attributed to energy transfer from the (4)T1 state exciting dioxygen to its (1)∑(+)g state. In the solid state, the quenching is much more efficient in [Mn4(ThiaSO2)2F][K(18-crown-6)] than in [Mn4(ThiaSO2)2F]K. This is attributed to the open pore structure of the former allowing fast diffusion of dioxygen into the crystal lattice.

Polynuclear complex family of cobalt(II)/sulfonylcalixarene: one-pot synthesis of cluster salt [Co14(II)]+[Co4(II)]- and field-induced slow magnetic relaxation in a six-coordinate dinuclear cobalt(II)/sulfonylcalixarene complex.

In this paper, we report the synthesis and description of a new family of polynuclear cobalt(II) complexes. Starting from the same initial compounds but varying the reaction time results in the formation of several new clusters, an original structure based on [Co14][Co4] clusters was obtained, representing the first one-pot synthesis of a cobalt aggregate salt reported in the literature. The synthesis and magnetic properties of these cobalt compounds are discussed. Three of them display a binuclear molecular structure (1-3) with two encapsulated Co(II) ions and show slow relaxation of magnetization at small applied magnetic field (Ueff = 10.7 K for 2 and Ueff = 20.3 K for 3), a characteristic of single-molecule-magnet materials.

Silica hybrid sol-gel materials with unusually high concentration of Pt-organic molecular guests: studies of luminescence and nonlinear absorption of light.

The development of new photonic materials is a key step toward improvement of existing optical devices and for the preparation of a new generation of systems. Therefore synthesis of photonic hybrid materials with a thorough understanding and control of the microstructure-to-properties relationships is crucial. In this perspective, a new preparation method based on fast gelation reactions using simple dispersion of dyes without strong covalent bonding between dye and matrix has been developed. This new sol-gel method is demonstrated through synthesis of monolithic siloxane-based hybrid materials highly doped by various platinum(II) acetylide derivatives. Concentrations of the chromophores as high as 400 mM were obtained and resulted in unprecedented optical power limiting (OPL) performance at 532 nm of the surface-polished solids. Static and time-resolved photoluminescence of the prepared hybrid materials were consistent with both OPL data and previous studies of similar Pt(II) compounds in solution. The impacts of the microstructure and the chemical composition of the matrix on the spectroscopic properties, are discussed.

Tetranuclear manganese(II) complexes of sulfonylcalix[4]arene macrocycles: synthesis, structure, spectroscopic and magnetic properties.

Two tetranuclear manganese(II) complexes {K(+)[Mn(4)(ThiaSO(2))(2)(OH)](-)} (1) and {K(+)[Mn(4)(ThiaSO(2))(2)(F)](-)} (2) have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions in methanol with p-tert-butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene (ThiaSO(2)). For both complexes, the structure has been established from single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The two complexes are best described as manganese squares sandwiched between two thiacalixarene macrocycles. In both complexes, in the center of the square formed by the four manganese(II) atoms, the unexpected presence of µ(4)-OH(-) or µ(4)-F(-) gives a negative charge to the cluster. The two tetranuclear complexes exhibit strong orange luminescence behavior resulting from the symbiosis between the ThiaSO(2) and the Mn(2+). Despite similar chemical formulation, (1) and (2) present difference in emission intensity and lifetime τ.

Electroless growth of silver nanoparticles into mesostructured silica block copolymer films.

Silver nanoparticles and silver nanowires have been grown inside mesostructured silica films obtained from block copolymers using two successive reduction steps: the first one involves a sodium borohydride reduction or a photoreduction of silver nitrate contained in the film, and the second one consists of a silver deposit on the primary nanoparticles, carried out by silver ion solution reduction with hydroxylamine chloride. We have demonstrated that the F127 block copolymer ((PEO)(106)(PPO)(70)(PEO)(106)), "F type", mesostructured silica film is a suitable "soft" template for the fabrication of spherical silver nanoparticles arrays. Silver spheres grow from 7 to 11 nm upon the second reduction step. As a consequence, a red shift of the surface plasmon resonance associated with metallic silver has been observed and attributed to plasmonic coupling between particles. Using a P123 block copolymer ((PEO)(20)(PPO)(70)(PEO)(20)), "P type", mesostructured silica film, we have obtained silver nanowires with typical dimension of 10 nm x 100 nm. The corresponding surface plasmon resonance is blue-shifted. The hydroxylamine chloride treatment appears to be efficient only when a previous chemical reduction is performed, assuming that the first sodium borohydride reduction induces a high concentration of silver nuclei in the first layer of the porous silica (film/air interface), which explains their reactivity for further growth.

Transformations of the chameleon ligand 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione/diol: cis-dichlorido(1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-kappa2N,N')-trans-dipyridinecobalt(II) pyridine disolvate prepared from the diol.

The title compound, [CoCl2(C(5)H(5)N)2(C(12)H(6)N(2)O(2))].2C(5)H(5)N, is a neutral Co(II) complex with two chloride anions coordinated in a cis fashion, two pyridine ligands in trans positions and a chelating 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione ligand that completes the octahedral coordination geometry. Two pyridine solvent molecules reside in channels (about 7 x 4 A wide; the closest atom-atom distance within the channel is 10 A). The three-dimensional structure supporting these channels is held together by C-H...Cl [3.466 (8)-3.670 (9) A] and C-H...O [3.014 (9)-3.285 (8) A] hydrogen bonds, and can be viewed as a CsCl or bcu (body-centred cubic) net.

Tetranuclear manganese(II) complexes of thiacalixarene macrocycles with trigonal prismatic six-coordinate geometries: synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties.

Two tetranuclear manganese(II) complexes [Mn(II)4(thiaS)2] (1) and [Mn(II)4(thiaSO)2] (2) have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions in methanol with p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene (thiaS) and p-tert-butylsulfinylthiacalix[4]arene (thiaSO). For both complexes, the structure has been established from single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [Mn4(thiaS)2].H2O (1) crystallizes in the orthorhombic Immm (No. 71) space group with the following parameters: a = 18.213 (5) angstroms, b = 19.037 (5) angstroms, c = 29.159 (5) angstroms, V = 10110 (4) angstroms3, and Z = 4. [Mn4(thiaSO)2].H2O (2) crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/m (No. 12) space group with the following parameters: a = 33.046(1) angstroms, b = 19.5363 (8) angstroms, c = 15.7773 (9) angstroms, beta = 115.176 (2) degrees, V = 9218.3 (8) angstroms3, and Z = 4. The two complexes are neutral and are best described as manganese squares sandwiched between two thiacalixarene macrocycles. In both complexes, each manganese center is six-coordinated in a trigonal prismatic geometry with four phenoxo oxygen atoms plus two sulfur atoms for 1 or two oxygen atoms from SO groups for 2. The two tetranuclear complexes exhibit identical magnetic behaviors resulting from antiferromagnetic interactions between the four manganese centers. The simulation of the magnetic susceptibility was done considering a single exchange-coupling constant between the manganese(II) ions, J (H = -J(S1S2 + S2S3 + S3S4 + S1S4)). The best fits give the same result for the two complexes: g = 1.94 and J = -5.57 cm(-1).