The Highly Frustrated 5d2 Double Perovskite Doppelgängers, SrLaMgReO6 and SrLaLiOsO6. A Comparison including Isostructural La2LiReO6.

The synthesis and characterization of the double perovskite SrLaLiOsO6 is presented. It is isostructural (P21/n) and isoelectronic (5d2) with SrLaMgReO6, which has been reported previously. The cell volumes are the same to within 1.4%: i.e., these perovskites are doppelgängers. In a previous study SrLaMgReO6 showed no sign of spin order to 2 K. New data at lower temperatures disclose a maximum in the dc susceptibility near 1.5 K. As the Curie-Weiss (C-W) temperature (Θ) for this material is -161 K, an enormous frustration index, f ≈ 100, is implied (f = |Θ|/Tord). On the other hand, SrLaLiOsO6 does not follow the C-W law over the investigated susceptibility range, 2-300 K. Fitting with an added temperature independent term (TIP) gives µeff = 1.96 µB, Θ = -102 K, and TIP = 1.01 × 10-3 emu/mol. A clear zero-field-cooled (ZFC), field-cooled (FC) divergence in the dc data occurs at ∼10 K, suggesting a much reduced frustration index, f ≈ 10, relative to SrLaMgReO6. The real part of the ac susceptibility data, χ'max, shows a frequency shift that is consistent with a spin glass ground state according to the Mydosh criterion. Heat capacity data for SrLaLiOsO6 show no sign of a λ peak at 10 K and a linear dependence on temperature below 10 K, also supporting a spin glass ground state. A spin frozen ground state for SrLaMgReO6 could not be established from χ' data due to a much weaker signal. Nonetheless, the 10-fold difference in f between these doppelgänger materials is remarkable. It is possible that the enhanced covalency with the oxide ligands for Os6+ relative to Re5+ plays a major role here. Finally, a comparison with isostructural La2LiReO6 (with a much smaller f ≈ 4) is made and a correlation between the frustration level and the sense of the local distortion of the Re(Os)-O octahedron is pointed out.

The Importance of Electronic Dimensionality in Multiorbital Radical Conductors.

The exceptional performance of oxobenzene-bridged bis-1,2,3-dithiazolyls 6 as single-component neutral radical conductors arises from the presence of a low-lying π-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, which reduces the potential barrier to charge transport and increases the kinetic stabilization energy of the metallic state. As part of ongoing efforts to modify the solid-state structures and transport properties of these so-called multiorbital materials, we report the preparation and characterization of the acetoxy, methoxy, and thiomethyl derivatives 6 (R = OAc, OMe, SMe). The crystal structures are based on ribbonlike arrays of radicals laced together by S···N' and S···O' secondary bonding interactions. The steric and electronic effects of the exocyclic ligands varies, affording one-dimensional (1D) π-stacked radicals for R = OAc, 1D cofacial dimer π-stacks for R = SMe, and a pseudo two-dimensional (2D) brick-wall arrangement for R = OMe. Variable-temperature magnetic and conductivity measurements reveal strong antiferromagnetic interactions and Mott insulating behavior for the two radical-based structures (R = OAc, OMe), with lower room-temperature conductivities (σRT ≈ 1 × 10-4 and ∼1 × 10-3 S cm-1, respectively) and higher thermal activation energies ( Eact = 0.24 and 0.21 eV, respectively) than found for the ideal 2D brick-wall structure of 6 (R = F), where σRT ≈ 1 × 10-2 S cm-1 and Eact = 0.10 eV. The performance of R = OMe, OAc relative to that of R = F, is consistent with the results of density functional theory band electronic structure calculations, which indicate a lower kinetic stabilization energy of the putative metallic state arising from their reduced electronic dimensionality.

Three-Dimensional Magnetic Exchange Networks in Trigonal Bisdithiazolyl Radicals.

The N-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridine-bridged bisdithiazolyl radical PhBPMe is polymorphic, crystallizing from cold acetonitrile in a trigonal α-phase, space group P3121, and from hot dichloroethane in an orthorhombic ß-phase, space group Pca21. The crystal structures of both phases consist of slipped π-stacks of undimerized radicals aligned laterally into herringbone arrays. In the ß-phase, there are two independent radicals in the asymmetric unit, and the resulting π-stacks form corrugated layers interspersed by methyl and phenyl groups which block the approach of neighboring radicals. In the α-phase, the methyl/phenyl groups and the radical π-stacks separately form spirals about 31 axes, the latter giving rise to a 3D network of close radical/radical contacts. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements on the ß-phase indicate strong antiferromagnetic coupling. Weaker but predominantly antiferromagnetic interactions (θ = -20.7 K) are observed in the α-phase. A high temperature series expansion analysis of the magnetic data for the α-phase affords antiferromagnetic exchange energies for the one- and two-step radical/radical interactions about the 31 spirals ( J1 = -1.2 K, J2 = -10.9 K, respectively), with weak ferromagnetic interactions along the π-stacks ( Jπ = +1.8 K). Despite the presence of a 3D network based on the dominant J2 interactions, which affords two independent bipartite sublattices, no evidence of bulk antiferromagnetic order has been observed above T = 2 K. The magnetic results are discussed in light of exchange energies calculated using density functional theory broken symmetry methods.

Magnetic Bistability in Naphtho-1,3,2-dithiazolyl: Solid State Interconversion of a Thiazyl π-Radical and Its N-N σ-Bonded Dimer.

Crystals of the heterocyclic radical naphtho-1,3,2-dithiazolyl NDTA display magnetic bistability with a well-defined hysteretic phase transition at Tc↓ = 128(2) K and Tc↑ = 188(2) K. The magnetic signature arises from a radical/dimer interconversion involving one of the two independent π-radicals in the P1̅ unit cell. Variable temperature X-ray crystallography has established that while all the radicals in HT-NDTA serve as paramagnetic ( S = 1/2) centers, half of the radicals in LT-NDTA form closed-shell N-N σ-bonded dimers ( S = 0) and half retain their S = 1/2 spin state. The wide window of bistability (60 K) may be attributed to the large structural changes that accompany the phase transition.

Fine Tuning the Performance of Multiorbital Radical Conductors by Substituent Effects.

A critical feature of the electronic structure of oxobenzene-bridged bisdithiazolyl radicals 2 is the presence of a low-lying LUMO which, in the solid state, improves charge transport by providing additional degrees of freedom for electron transfer. The magnitude of this multiorbital effect can be fine-tuned by variations in the π-electron releasing/accepting nature of the basal ligand. Here we demonstrate that incorporation of a nitro group significantly stabilizes the LUMO, and hence lowers Ueff, the effective Coulombic barrier to charge transfer. The effect is echoed, at the molecular level, in the observed trend in Ecell, the electrochemical cell potential for 2 with R = F, H and NO2. The crystal structures of the MeCN and EtCN solvates of 2 with R = NO2 have been determined. In the EtCN solvate the radicals are dimerized, but in the MeCN solvate the radicals form superimposed and evenly spaced π-stacked arrays. This highly 1D material displays Pauli-like temperature independent paramagnetic behavior, with χTIP = 6 × 10-4 emu mol-1, but its charge transport behavior, with σRT near 0.04 S cm-1 and Eact = 0.05 eV, is more consistent with a Mott insulating ground state. High pressure crystallographic measurements confirm uniform compression of the π-stacked architecture with no phase change apparent up to 8 GPa. High pressure conductivity measurements indicate that the charge gap between the Mott insulator and metallic states can be closed near 6 GPa. These results are discussed in the light of DFT band structure calculations.

Multiple orbital effects and magnetic ordering in a neutral radical.

The alternating ABABAB π-stacked architecture of the EtCN solvate of the iodo-substituted, oxobenzene-bridged bisdithiazolyl radical IBBO (space group Pnma) gives rise to strong ferromagnetic exchange along the π-stacks, and the material orders as a spin-canted antiferromagnet with T(N) = 35 K, with a spontaneous (canted) moment M(spont) = 1.4 × 10(-3) µB and a coercive field H(c) = 1060 Oe (at 2 K). The observation of spin-canting can only be understood in terms of multiorbital contributions to both isotropic and anisotropic exchange interactions, the magnitude of which are enhanced by spin-orbit effects arising from the heavy-atom iodine substituent. Pseudodipolar interactions lead to a net canted moment along the c-axis, while the sublattice magnetization is predicted to possess an easy a-axis.

Heat, pressure and light-induced interconversion of bisdithiazolyl radicals and dimers.

The heterocyclic bisdithiazolyl radical 1b (R1 = Me, R2 = F) crystallizes in two phases. The α-phase, space group P21/n, contains two radicals in the asymmetric unit, both of which adopt slipped π-stack structures. The ß-phase, space group P21/c, consists of cross-braced π-stacked arrays of dimers in which the radicals are linked laterally by hypervalent 4-center 6-electron S···S-S···S σ-bonds. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements on α-1b indicate Curie-Weiss behavior (with Θ = -14.9 K), while the dimer phase ß-1b is diamagnetic, showing no indication of thermal dissociation below 400 K. High-pressure crystallographic measurements indicate that the cross-braced π-stacked arrays of dimers undergo a wine-rack compression, but the dimer remains intact up to 8 GPa (at ambient temperature). The resistance of ß-1b to dissociate under pressure, also observed in its conductivity versus pressure profile, is in marked contrast to the behavior of the related dimer ß-1a (R1 = Et, R2 = F), which readily dissociates into a pair of radicals at 0.8 GPa. The different response of the two dimers to pressure has been rationalized in terms of differences in their linear compressibilities occasioned by changes in the degree of cross-bracing of the π-stacks. Dissociation of both dimers can be effected by irradiation with visible (λ = 650 nm) light; the transformation has been monitored by optical spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The photoinduced radical pairs persist up to temperatures of 150 K (ß-1b) and 242 K (ß-1a) before reverting to the dimer state. Variable-temperature optical measurements on ß-1b and ß-1a have afforded Arrhenius activation energies of 8.3 and 19.6 kcal mol(-1), respectively, for the radical-to-dimer reconversion. DFT and CAS-SCF calculations have been used to probe the ground and excited electronic state structures of the dimer and radical pair. The results support the interpretation that the ground-state interconversion of the dimer and radical forms of ß-1a and ß-1b is symmetry forbidden, while the photochemical transformation is symmetry allowed.

Bisdithiazolyl radical spin ladders.

A series of four bisdithiazolyl radicals 1a-d (R(1) = Pr, Bu, Pn, Hx; R(2) = F) has been prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure of 1a (R(1) = Pr) belongs to the tetragonal space group P42(1)m and consists of slipped π-stack arrays of undimerized radicals packed about 4 centers running along the z-direction, an arrangement identical to that found for 1 (R(1) = Et; R(2) = F). With increasing chain length of the R(1) substituent, an isomorphous set 1b-d is generated. All three compounds crystallize in the P2(1)/c space group and consist of pairs of radical π-stacks locked together by strong intermolecular F···S' bridges to create spin ladder arrays. The slipped π-stack alignment of radicals produces close S···S' interactions which serve as the "rungs" of a spin ladder, and the long chain alkyl substituents (R(1)) serve as buffers which separate the ladders from each other laterally. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that 1a behaves as an antiferromagnetically coupled Curie-Weiss paramagnet, the behavior of which may be modeled as a weakly coupled AFM chain. Stronger antiferromagnetic coupling is observed in 1b-d, such that the Curie-Weiss fit is no longer applicable. Analysis of the full data range (T = 2-300 K) is consistent with the Johnston strong-leg spin ladder model. The origin of the magnetic behavior across the series has been explored with broken-symmetry Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations of individual pairwise exchange energies. These confirm that strong antiferromagnetic interactions are present within the ladder "legs" and "rungs", with only very weak magnetic exchange between the ladders.

Iron nanoparticles catalyzing the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones.

Investigation into the mechanism of transfer hydrogenation using trans-[Fe(NCMe)CO(PPh(2)C(6)H(4)CH═NCHR-)(2)][BF(4)](2), where R = H (1) or R = Ph (2) (from R,R-dpen), has led to strong evidence that the active species in catalysis are iron(0) nanoparticles (Fe NPs) functionalized with achiral (with 1) and chiral (with 2) PNNP-type tetradentate ligands. Support for this proposition is given in terms of in operando techniques such as a kinetic investigation of the induction period during catalysis as well as poisoning experiments using substoichiometric amounts of various poisoning agents. Further support for the presence of Fe(0) NPs includes STEM microscopy imaging with EDX analysis, XPS analysis, and SQUID magnetometry analysis of catalytic solutions. Further evidence of Fe NPs acting as the active catalyst is given in terms of a polymer-supported substrate experiment whereby the NPs are too large to permeate the pores of a functionalized polymer. Final support is given in terms of a combined poisoning/STEM/EDX experiment whereby the poisoning agent is shown to be bound to the Fe NPs. This paper provides evidence of a rare example of asymmetric catalysis with nonprecious metal, zerovalent nanoparticles.

Semiquinone-bridged bisdithiazolyl radicals as neutral radical conductors.

Semiquinone-bridged bisdithiazolyls 3 represent a new class of resonance-stabilized neutral radical for use in the design of single-component conductive materials. As such, they display electrochemical cell potentials lower than those of related pyridine-bridged bisdithiazolyls, a finding which heralds a reduced on-site Coulomb repulsion U. Crystallographic characterization of the chloro-substituted derivative 3a and its acetonitrile solvate 3a·MeCN, both of which crystallize in the polar orthorhombic space group Pna2(1), revealed the importance of intermolecular oxygen-to-sulfur (CO···SN) interactions in generating rigid, tightly packed radical π-stacks, including the structural motif found for 3a·MeCN in which radicals in neighboring π-stacks are locked into slipped-ribbon-like arrays. This architecture gives rise to strong intra- and interstack overlap and hence a large electronic bandwidth W. Variable-temperature conductivity measurements on 3a and 3a·MeCN indicated high values of σ(300 K) (>10(-3) S cm(-1)) with correspondingly low thermal activation energies E(act), reaching 0.11 eV in the case of 3a·MeCN. Overall, the strong performance of these materials as f = ½ conductors is attributed to a combination of low U and large W. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements were performed on both 3a and 3a·MeCN. The unsolvated material 3a orders as a spin-canted antiferromagnet at 8 K, with a canting angle φ = 0.14° and a coercive field H(c) = 80 Oe at 2 K.

Crossing the insulator-to-metal barrier with a thiazyl radical conductor.

The layered-sheet architecture of the crystal structure of the fluoro-substituted oxobenzene-bridged bisdithiazolyl radical FBBO affords a 2D π-electronic structure with a large calculated bandwidth. The material displays high electrical conductivity for a f = 1/2 system, with σ(300 K) = 2 × 10(-2) S cm(-1). While the conductivity is thermally activated at ambient pressure, with E(act) = 0.10 eV at 300 K, indicative of a Mott insulating state, E(act) is eliminated at 3 GPa, suggesting the formation of a metallic state. The onset of metallization is supported by infrared measurements, which show closure of the Mott-Hubbard gap above 3 GPa.

Metal complexes of bridging neutral radical ligands: pymDTDA and pymDSDA.

Metal complexes of the 4-(2'-pyrimidyl)-1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolyl (pymDTDA) neutral radical ligand and its selenium analogue (pymDSDA) are presented. The following series of metal ions has been studied using M(hfac)(2) as the coordination fragment of choice (hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetonato): Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II). The binuclear cobalt and nickel complexes of pymDTDA both exhibit ferromagnetic (FM) coupling between the unpaired electrons on the ligand and the metal ion, while the binuclear zinc complex of pymDTDA is presented as a comparative example incorporating a diamagnetic metal ion. The binuclear manganese complex of pymDTDA, reported in a preliminary communication, is compared to the pymDSDA analogue, and new insight into the magnetic behavior reveals that intermolecular magnetic coupling, mediated by chalcogen-oxygen contacts, gives rise to a significant increase in the χT product at low temperature. Surprisingly, the binuclear nickel complex of pymDSDA forms dimers in the solid state, as do the mononuclear complexes of cobalt and nickel with pymDTDA. In addition, mixed mononuclear/binuclear complexes of Mn- and Zn(pymDTDA) have been identified.

From magnets to metals: the response of tetragonal bisdiselenazolyl radicals to pressure.

The bromo-substituted bisdiselenazolyl radical 4b (R(1) = Et, R(2) = Br) is isostructural with the corresponding chloro-derivative 4a (R(1) = Et, R(2) = Cl), both belonging to the tetragonal space group P(4)2(1)m and consisting of slipped π-stack arrays of undimerized radicals. Variable temperature, ambient pressure conductivity measurements indicate a similar room temperature conductivity near 10(-4) S cm(-1) for the two compounds, but 4b displays a slightly higher thermal activation energy E(act) (0.23 eV) than 4a (0.19 eV). Like 4a, radical 4b behaves as a bulk ferromagnet with an ordering temperature of T(C) = 17.5 K. The coercive field H(c) (at 2 K) of 1600 Oe for 4b is, however, significantly greater than that observed for 4a (1370 Oe). High pressure (0-15 GPa) structural studies on both compounds have shown that compression reduces the degree of slippage of the π-stacks, which gives rise to changes in the magnetic and conductive properties of the radicals. Relatively mild loadings (<2 GPa) cause an increase in T(C) for both compounds, that of 4b reaching a maximum value of 24 K; further compression to 5 GPa leads to a decrease in T(C) and loss of magnetization. Variable temperature and pressure conductivity measurements indicate a decrease in E(act) with increasing pressure, with eventual conversion of both compounds from a Mott insulating state to one displaying weakly metallic behavior in the region of 7 GPa (for 4a) and 9 GPa (for 4b).

Magnetism in Mixed Valence, Defect, Cubic Perovskites: BaIn1-x Fe x O2.5+δ, x = 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75. Local and Average Structures.

The series BaIn1-x Fe x O2.5+δ, x = 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75, has been prepared under air-fired and argon-fired conditions and studied using X-ray diffraction, d.c. and a.c. susceptibility, Mössbauer spectroscopy, neutron diffraction, X-ray near edge absorption spectroscopy (XANES), and X-ray pair distribution (PDF) methods. While Ba2In2O5 (BaInO2.5) crystallizes in an ordered brownmillerite structure, Ibm2, and Ba2Fe2O5 (BaFeO2.5) crystallizes in a complex monoclinic structure, P21/c, showing seven Fe3+ sites with tetrahedral, square planar, and octahedral environments, all phases studied here crystallize in the cubic perovskite structure, Pm3̅m, with long-range disorder on the small cation and oxygen sites. 57Fe Mössbauer studies indicate a mixed valency, Fe4+/Fe3+, for both the air-fired and argon-fired samples. The increased Fe3+ content for the argon-fired samples is reflected in increased cubic cell constants and in the increased Mössbauer fraction. It appears that the Pm3̅m phases are only metastable when fired in argon. From a slightly modified percolation theory for a primitive cubic lattice (taking into account the presence of random O atom vacancies), long-range spin order is permitted for the x = 0.50 and 0.75 phases. Instead, the d.c. susceptibility shows only zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) divergences at ∼6 K [5 K] for x = 0.50 and at ∼22 K [21 K] for x = 0.75, with values for the argon-fired samples in [ ]. Neutron diffraction data for the air-fired samples confirm the absence of long-range magnetic order at any studied temperature. For the air-fired x = 0.50, a.c. susceptibility data show a frequency-dependent χ'(max) and spin glass behavior, while for x = 0.75, χ'(max) is invariant with frequency, ruling out either a spin glass or a superparamagnetic ground state. These behaviors are discussed in terms of competing Fe3+-Fe3+ antiferromagnetic exchange and ferromagnetic Fe3+-Fe4+ exchange. The PDF and 57Fe Mössbauer data indicate a local structure at short interatomic distances, which deviates strongly from the average Pm3̅m model. Fe Mössbauer, PDF, and XANES data show a systematic dependence on x and indicate that the Fe3+ sites are largely fourfold-coordinated and Fe4+ sites are fivefold- or sixfold-coordinated.

Hysteretic spin crossover between a bisdithiazolyl radical and its hypervalent σ-dimer.

The bisdithiazolyl radical 1a is dimorphic, existing in two distinct molecular and crystal modifications. The α-phase crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4̅2(1)m and consists of π-stacked radicals, tightly clustered about 4̅ points and running parallel to c. The ß-phase belongs to the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c and, at ambient temperature and pressure, is composed of π-stacked dimers in which the radicals are linked laterally by hypervalent four-center six-electron S···S-S···S σ-bonds. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility χ measurements confirm that α-1a behaves as a Curie-Weiss paramagnet; the low-temperature variations in χ can be modeled in terms of a 1D Heisenberg chain of weakly coupled AFM S = (1)/(2) centers. The dimeric phase ß-1a is essentially diamagnetic up to 380 K. Above this temperature there is a sharp hysteretic (T↑= 380 K, T↓ = 375 K) increase in χ and χT. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis of ß-1a at 393 K has established that the phase transition corresponds to a dimer-to-radical conversion in which the hypervalent S···S-S···S σ-bond is cleaved. Variable-temperature and -pressure conductivity measurements indicate that α-1a behaves as a Mott insulator, but the ambient-temperature conductivity σ(RT) increases from near 10(-7) S cm(-1) at 0.5 GPa to near 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 5 GPa. The value of σ(RT) for ß-1a (near 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 0.5 GPa) initially decreases with pressure as the phase change takes place, but beyond 1.5 GPa this trend reverses, and σ(RT) increases in a manner which parallels the behavior of α-1a. These changes in conductivity of ß-1a are interpreted in terms of a pressure-induced dimer-to-radical phase change. High-pressure, ambient-temperature powder diffraction analysis of ß-1a confirms such a transition between 0.65 and 0.98 GPa and establishes that the structural change involves rupture of the dimer in a manner akin to that observed at high temperature and ambient pressure. The response of the S···S-S···S σ-bond in ß-1a to heat and pressure is compared to that of related dimers possessing S···Se-Se···S σ-bonds.

Magnetic order and competition with superconductivity in (Ho-Er)Ni2B2C.

The rare earth magnetic order in pure and doped Ho(1-x)ErxNi2B2C (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1) single crystal samples was investigated using magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements. Superconducting quaternary borocarbides, RNi2B2C where R = Ho, Er , are magnetic intermetallic superconductors with the transition temperatures~10 K in which long range magnetic order develops in the same temperature range and competes with superconductivity. Depending on the rare earth composition the coupling between superconductivity and magnetism creates several phases, ranging from a near reentrant superconductor with a mixture of commensurate and incommensurate antiferromagnetism to an incommensurate antiferromagnetic spin modulation with a weak ferromagnetic component. All of these phases coexist with superconductivity. RKKY magnetic interactions are used to describe the magnetic orders in the pure compounds. However, the doping of Er on Ho sites which have two strong magnetic moments with two different easy directions creates new and complicated magnetic modulations with possible local disorder effects. One fascinating effect is the development of an induced magnetic state resembling the pure and doped R2CuO4 cuprate with R = Nd and Pr.

Structure and property correlations in heavy atom radical conductors.

The synthesis and solid-state characterization of the resonance-stabilized heterocyclic thia/selenazyl radicals 1a-4a is described. While all the radicals crystallize in undimerized slipped pi-stacked arrays, the four crystal structures do not constitute an isomorphous set; crystals of 1a and 3a belong to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), while those of 2a and 4a belong to the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n. The origin of the structural dichotomy can be traced back to the packing of the radicals in the P2(1)/n structure, which maximizes intermolecular Se-Se' contacts. There are marked differences in the transport properties of the two groups. Variable temperature conductivity measurements reveal high, but activated, conductivity for the monoclinic pair (2a/4a), with sigma(298 K) > 10(-3) S cm(-1). The application of physical pressure increases the conductivity of both compounds, with sigma(298 K) at 5 GPa reaching 0.5 S cm(-1) for 2a and 2 S cm(-1) for 4a. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling for the monoclinic pair 2a and 4a, the behavior of which has been modeled in terms of a molecular-field modified 1D Heisenberg chain of AFM coupled S = 1/2 centers. Extended Huckel theory band structure calculations and density functional theory first principles methods have been used to develop a qualitative understanding of the conductive and magnetic properties of radicals of the type 1-4 as a function of the degree and direction of slippage of the radical pi-stacks.

A conducting metallopolymer featuring valence tautomerism.

A new cobalt bis(semiquinone) valence tautomer is reported featuring a terthienyl substituent, which undergoes electropolymerization to produce a valence tautomeric conducting metallopolymer.

Preparation and magnetic properties of iron(3+) spin-crossover complexes bearing a thiophene substituent: toward multifunctional metallopolymers.

The synthesis of a new 3-ethynylthienyl-substituted QsalH ligand (QsalH is the short form for N-(8-quinolyl)salicylaldimine) (ThEQsalH 3), and the preparation, electronic, and magnetic properties of three homoleptic and cationic iron(3+) complexes containing this ligand with PF(6)(-) 4, SCN(-) 5, and ClO(4)(-) 6 counteranions are reported. In all three complexes a spin-crossover is observed in the solid state by variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements and Mossbauer spectroscopy, indicating that the synthetic modification of the QsalH ligand has not significantly altered the electronics at the metal center. This includes the observation of a very rare S = 5/2 to 3/2 spin-crossover in a non-porphyrin iron(3+) complex 5. The molecular structure and magnetic properties of an unusual iron(2+) complex 7 generated by reduction of complex 6 serendipitously during a recrystallization attempt in aerobic acetone solution is also reported. Complexes 4-6 feature iron(3+) reduction and oxidation of the thiophene ring at potentials of approximately -0.7 and +1.2 V (vs Fc), respectively.

Bimetallic iron(3+) spin-crossover complexes containing a 2,2'-bithienyl bridging bis-QsalH ligand.

We describe the synthesis of a new 3,3'-diethynyl-2,2'-bithienyl bridging bis-QsalH ligand (5), and the preparation of four bimetallic iron(3+) complexes containing 5 with Cl(-) (6), SCN(-) (7), PF(6)(-) (8), and ClO(4)(-) (9) counteranions. We show with variable temperature magnetic susceptibility, Mossbauer, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy that each complex undergoes a spin-crossover in the solid state. In all four complexes, we observe very gradual and incomplete S = 5/2, 5/2 to S = 1/2, 1/2 spin-crossover processes, with three of the four complexes exhibiting nearly identical magnetic properties. We investigated the electronic properties of the complexes by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, and attempted electropolymerization reactions with acetonitrile solutions of the complexes, which were not successful. Each complex features a single iron(3+) reduction wave at approximately -0.7 V (versus ferrocene), and the oxidation of the 2,2'-bithienyl substituent occurs at +1.1 V. These materials represent a new structural paradigm for the study of rare bimetallic iron(3+) spin-crossover complexes.