Prospects for 207Pb solid-state NMR studies of lead tetrel bonds.

The feasibility and value of 207Pb solid-state NMR experiments on compounds featuring lead tetrel bonds is explored. Although the definition remains to be formalized, lead tetrel bonds may be qualitatively described as existing when there is evidence of a net attractive interaction between an electrophilic region associated with lead in a molecular entity and a nucleophilic region in another, or the same, molecular entity. Unambiguous identification of lead tetrel bonds can be challenging due to the hypervalent tendency of lead. We report here a series of 207Pb solid-state NMR experiments on five metal-organic frameworks featuring lead coordinated to hydrazone-based ligands. Such frameworks may be held together in part by lead tetrel bonds. The acquisition of 207Pb solid-state NMR spectra for such materials is feasible and is readily accomplished using a combination of magic-angle spinning and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill methods in moderate to low applied magnetic fields. The lead centres are characterized by 207Pb isotropic chemical shifts ranging from -426 to -2591 ppm and chemical shift tensor spans ranging from 910 to 2681 ppm. Careful inspection of the structures of the compounds and the literature 207Pb NMR data may suggest that a tetrel bond to lead results in chemical shift parameters which are intermediate between those which are characteristic of holodirected and hemidirected lead coordination geometries. Challenges associated with DFT computations of the 207Pb NMR parameters are discussed. In summary, the 207Pb data for the compounds studied herein show a marked response to the presence of non-coordinating electron-rich moieties in close contact with the electrophilic surface of formally hemidirectionally coordinated lead compounds.

Multinuclear solid-state magnetic resonance study of oxo-bridged diniobium and quadruply-bonded dimolybdenum carboxylate clusters.

Carboxylate paddlewheels and their oxo-bridged analogues constitute ideal building blocks for the assembly of two- and three-dimensional framework materials. Here, we present a multinuclear (1H, 13C, 93Nb, 95Mo) magnetic resonance study of solid samples of Nb2OCl6(O2Ph)2 (1), Mo2(O2CMe)4 (2), and Mo2(O2CCHF2)4 (3). High-resolution proton and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra provide valuable information on structure and crystal symmetry and on cocrystallized solvent. 93Nb solid-state NMR spectra of 1 provide quadrupolar coupling constants and chemical shift tensors which are characteristic of the axially asymmetric Nb-O-Nb bridging environment. 95Mo solid-state NMR spectra of 2 and 3 provide quadrupolar coupling constants and chemical shift tensors which are directly characteristic of the molybdenum-molybdenum quadruple bonds in these compounds. The quadruple bonds are characterized by particularly large 95Mo chemical shift tensor spans on the order of 5500ppm. Density functional theoretical computations provide good agreement with the 93Nb and 95Mo experimental data, with some exceptions noted. This work demonstrates possible NMR approaches to characterize more complex framework materials and provides key insight into the Mo-Mo quadruple bond.

Rational serendipity: "undirected" synthesis of a large {MnCu} complex from pre-formed MnII building blocks.

Use of an aminopolyalcohol-based MnII complex in solvothermal CuII chemistry leads to a rare example of a high nuclearity heterometallic {MnCu} system, in which four CuII(H1Edte) units trap an inner {MnCuII} oxide core.

From discrete molecule, to polymer, to MOF: mapping the coordination chemistry of Cd(II) using (113)Cd solid-state NMR.

Studies of three related Cd(II) systems (a discrete [Cd(II)2] unit, a one-dimensional [Cd(II)2]n coordination polymer and a Cd(II)-based MOF) all derived from the ligand 2,4,6-tris(2-pyrimidyl)-1,3,5-triazine, reveal an exceptionally rare example of (113)Cd-(113)Cd J coupling in the polymer that is detectable by solid-state NMR ((2)JCd-Cd = ∼65 Hz).

The rise of 3-d single-ion magnets in molecular magnetism: towards materials from molecules?

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) that contain one spin centre (so-called single-ion magnets) theoretically represent the smallest possible unit for spin-based electronic devices. The realisation of this and related technologies, depends on first being able to design systems with sufficiently large energy barriers to magnetisation reversal, Ueff, and secondly, on being able to organise these molecules into addressable arrays. In recent years, significant progress has been made towards the former goal - principally as a result of efforts which have been directed towards studying complexes based on highly anisotropic lanthanide ions, such as Tb(iii) and Dy(iii). Since 2013 however, and the remarkable report by Long and co-workers of a linear Fe(i) system exhibiting Ueff = 325 K, single-ion systems of transition metals have undergone something of a renaissance in the literature. Not only do they have important lessons to teach us about anisotropy and relaxation dynamics in the quest to enhance Ueff, the ability to create strongly coupled spin systems potentially offers access to a whole of host of 1, 2 and 3-dimensional materials with interesting structural and physical properties. This perspective summarises recent progress in this rapidly expanding sub-genre of molecular magnetism from the viewpoint of the synthetic chemist, with a particular focus on the lessons that have so far been learned from single-ion magnets of the d-block, and, the future research directions which we feel are likely to emerge in the coming years.

The renaissance of 2,4,6-tris(2-pyrimidyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPymT) coordination chemistry.

In this perspective we report on recently accumulated data on the synthesis and coordination chemistry of 2,4,6-tris(2-pyrimidyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPymT). Although a highly attractive ligand, owing to the presence of three fused terpyridine-like coordination pockets, the coordination chemistry of TPymT has something of a chequered past. This can principally be attributed to the hydrolysis of the ligand, which readily occurs under mild conditions. Thus, after first being synthesised in 1959 it had only been used a handful of times to synthesise coordination compounds until we began reinvestigating its chemistry in early 2013. Despite the significant challenges associated with its use, our work over the past two years has demonstrated that coordination chemistry with TPymT is indeed possible. Herein, we describe an overview of this body of work as it stands, and discuss its potential impact in a variety of areas including porous materials, catalysis and crystal engineering.

Single-Molecule Magnetism, Enhanced Magnetocaloric Effect, and Toroidal Magnetic Moments in a Family of Ln4 Squares.

Three cationic [Ln4 ] squares (Ln=lanthanide) were isolated as single crystals and their structures solved as [Dy4 (µ4 -OH)(HL)(H2 L)3 (H2 O)4 ]Cl2 ⋅(CH3 OH)4 ⋅(H2 O)8 (1), [Tb4 (µ4 -OH)(HL)(H2 L)3 (MeOH)4 ]Cl2 ⋅(CH3 OH)4 ⋅(H2 O)4 (2) and [Gd4 (µ4 -OH)(HL)(H2 L)3 (H2 O)2 (MeOH)2 ]Br2 ⋅(CH3 OH)4 ⋅(H2 O)3 (3). The structures are described as hydroxo-centered squares of lanthanide ions, with each edge of the square bridged by a doubly deprotonated H2 L(2-) ligand. Alternating current magnetic susceptibility measurements show frequency-dependent out-of-phase signals with two different thermally assisted relaxation processes for 1, whereas no maxima in χM " appears above 2.0 K for complex 2. For 1, the estimated effective energy barrier for these two relaxation processes is 29 and 100 K. Detailed ab initio studies reveal that complex 1 possesses a toroidal magnetic moment. The ab initio calculated anisotropies of the metal ions in complex 1 were employed to simulate the magnetic susceptibility by using the Lines model (POLY_ANISO) and this procedure yields J1 =+0.01 and J2 =-0.01 cm(-1) for 1 as the two distinct exchange interactions between the Dy(III) ions. Similar parameters are also obtained for complex 1 (and 2) from specific heat measurements. A very weak antiferromagnetic super-exchange interaction (J1 =-0.043 cm(-1) and g=1.99) is observed between the metal centers in 3. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) was estimated by using field-dependent magnetization and temperature-dependent heat-capacity measurements. An excellent agreement is found for the -ΔSm values extracted from these two measurements for all three complexes. As expected, 3 shows the largest -ΔSm variation (23 J Kg(-1) K(-1) ) among the three complexes. The negligible magnetic anisotropy of Gd indeed ensures near degeneracy in the (2S+1) ground state microstates, and the weak super-exchange interaction facilitates dense population of low-lying excited states, all of which are likely to contribute to the MCE, making complex 3 an attractive candidate for cryogenic refrigeration.

Turning a "useless" ligand into a "useful" ligand: a magneto-structural study of an unusual family of Cu(II) wheels derived from functionalised phenolic oximes.

While the phenolic oximes (R-saoH2) are well known for producing monometallic complexes of the type [M(II)(R-saoH)2] with Cu(II) ions in near quantitative yield, their derivatisation opens the door to much more varied and interesting coordination chemistry. Here we show that combining the complimentary diethanolamine and phenolic oxime moieties into one organic framework (H4L1 and H4L2) allows for the preparation and isolation of an unusual family of [Cu(II)]n wheels, including saddle-shaped, single-stranded [Cu(II)8] wheels of general formula [Cu8(HL1)4(X)4](n)[Y] (when n = 0, X = Cl(-), NO3(-), AcO(-), N3(-); when n = 2+ X = (OAc)2/(2,2'-bpy)2 and Y = [BF4]2) and [Cu8(HL2)4(X)4] (X = Cl(-), Br(-)), a rectangular [Cu6(HL1)4] wheel, and a heterometallic [Cu4Na2(HL1)2(H2L1)2] hexagon. Magnetic studies show very strong antiferromagnetic exchange between neighbouring metal ions, leading to diamagnetic ground states in all cases. DFT studies reveal that the magnitude of the exchange constants are correlated to the Cu-N-O-Cu dihedral angles, which in turn are correlated to the planarity/puckering of the [Cu(II)]n rings.

Crystal structure of 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-{2-hydroxy-3-[(E)-N-hydroxyethanimidoyl]-5-methylbenzyl}ethanaminium acetate monohydrate.

The structure of the title hydrated mol-ecular salt, C14H23N2O4 (+)·C2H3O2 (-)·H2O, was determined as part of a wider study on the use of the mol-ecule as a polydentate ligand in the synthesis of Mn(III) clusters with magnetic properties. The cation features intra-molecular O-H⋯N and N-H⋯O hydrogen-bond inter-actions. The crystal structure features a range of inter-molecular hydrogen-bonding inter-actions, principally O-H⋯O inter-actions between all three species in the asymmetric unit. An R (2) 4(8) graph-set hydrogen-bonding motif between the anion and water mol-ecules serves as a unit which links to the cation via the di-ethano-lamine group. Each O atom of the acetate anion accepts two hydrogen bonds.

Circular serendipity: in situ ligand transformation for the self-assembly of an hexadecametallic [Cu(II)16] wheel.

A [Cu(II)16] wheel was isolated serendipitously from the reaction of acetylacetone dioxime with copper(ii) chloride and lanthanide ions in a reaction initially designed to produce heterometallic 3d-4f cages. The ligand has been transformed in situ to three different forms, all found within the [Cu16] wheel, with the original ligand completely absent.

"Converting" an hexametallic MnIII wheel to a dodecametallic MnIII wheel via ligand oximation.

Ligand oximation "converts" an hexametallic Mn(III) wheel into a dodecametallic Mn(III) wheel, while the magnetic exchange switches from ferro- to antiferromagnetic.

Combining oxime-based [Mn6] clusters with cyanometalates: 1D chains of [Mn6] SMMs from [M(CN)2]- (M = Au, Ag).

The linear [M(CN)2](-) (M = Au, Ag) anions can be used as metalloligands in oxime-based Mn chemistry to afford 1D chains of [Mn(III)6] single-molecule magnets (SMMs).

Combining complementary ligands into one framework for the construction of a ferromagnetically coupled [Mn(III)12] wheel.

Phenolic oxime and diethanolamine moieties have been combined into one organic framework, resulting in the formation of a novel ligand type that can be employed to construct a rare and unusual dodecametallic Mn wheel, within which nearest neighbours are coupled ferromagnetically.