Spin-crossover and liquid crystal properties in 2D cyanide-bridged Fe(II)-M(I/II) metalorganic frameworks.

Novel two-dimensional heterometallic Fe(II)-M(Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II), Ag(I), and Au(I)) cyanide-bridged metalorganic frameworks exhibiting spin-crossover and liquid crystal properties, formulated as {FeL(2)[M(I/II)(CN)(x)](y)}·sH(2)O, where L are the ligands 4-(4-alkoxyphenyl)pyridine, 4-(3,4-dialkoxyphenyl)pyridine, and 4-(3,4,5-trisalkoxyphenyl)pyridine, have been synthesized and characterized. The physical characterization has been carried out by means of EXAFS, X-ray powder diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, differential scanning measurements, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The 2D Fe(II) metallomesogens undergo incomplete and continuous thermally induced spin transition at T(1/2) ≈ 170 K and crystal-to-smectic transition above 370 K.

Thermal- and light-induced spin crossover in novel 2D Fe(II) metalorganic frameworks {Fe(4-PhPy)(2)[M(II)(CN)(x)](y)}.sH(2)O: spectroscopic, structural, and magnetic studies.

Five novel two-dimensional coordination polymers {Fe(4PhPy)(2)[M(II)(CN)(4)]}.sH(2)O (4PhyPy = 4-phenylpyridine; 1: M(II) = Pd, s = 0; 2: M(II) = Ni, s = 0; 3: M(II) = Pt, s = 1) and {Fe(4PhPy)(2)[M(I)(CN)(2)](2)}.sH(2)O (4: M(I) = Ag, s = 1; 5: M(I) = Au, s = 0.5) exhibiting spin-crossover properties have been synthesized. They were characterized at various temperatures using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The occurrence of a cooperative thermal spin transition detected by the magnetic method is located at critical temperatures T(c)( downward arrow)/T(c)( upward arrow) = 163 K/203 K (1), 135 K/158 K (2), and 172 K/221 K (3), and a less cooperative one is located at T(c) = 188 K (4) and 225 K (5). Compounds 1-5 show an abrupt color change from yellow (high-spin (HS) state) to red (low-spin (LS) state) upon spin-state conversion. The dehydration of the compounds changes the type of the spin transition, making it more abrupt and shifting the critical temperature to higher temperatures. For 1 and 2, XAS provides local structural information on the contraction of the FeN(6) coordination sphere upon the HS-to-LS transition, in line with the magnetic results. Variable-temperature characterization of 1 by X-ray diffraction evidences the very abrupt phase transition with a large hysteresis. A light-induced spin conversion (LIESST effect) is detected by magnetic measurements in 1-5 below 70 K.

Does the solid-liquid crystal phase transition provoke the spin-state change in spin-crossover metallomesogens?

Three types of interplay/synergy between spin-crossover (SCO) and liquid crystalline (LC) phase transitions can be predicted: (i) systems with coupled phase transitions, where the structural changes associated to the Cr<-->LC phase transition drives the spin-state transition, (ii) systems where both transitions coexist in the same temperature region but are not coupled, and (iii) systems with uncoupled phase transitions. Here we present a new family of Fe(II) metallomesogens based on the ligand tris[3-aza-4-((5-C(n))(6-R)(2-pyridyl))but-3-enyl]amine, with C(n) = hexyloxy, dodecyloxy, hexadecyloxy, octadecyloxy, eicosyloxy, R = hydrogen or methyl (C(n)-trenH or C(n)-trenMe), which affords examples of systems of types i, ii, and iii. Self-assembly of the ligands C(n)-trenH and C(n)-trenMe with Fe(A)2 x xH2O salts have afforded a family of complexes with general formula [Fe(C(n)-trenR)](A)2 x sH2O (s > or = 0), with A = ClO4(-), F-, Cl-, Br- and I-. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements have been performed on two derivatives of this family, named as [Fe(C6-trenH)](ClO4)2 (C(6)-1) and [Fe(C6-trenMe)](ClO4)2 (C(6)-2), at 150 K for C(6)-1 and at 90 and 298 K for C(6)-2. At 150 K, C(6)-1 displays the triclinic space group P, whereas at 90 and at 298 K C(6)-2 adopts the monoclinic P2(1)/c space group. In both compounds the iron atoms adopt a pseudo-octahedral symmetry and are surrounded by six nitrogen atoms belonging to imino groups and pyridines of the ligands C(n)-trenH and C(n)-trenMe. The average Fe(II)-N bonds (1.963(2) A) at 150 K denote that C(6)-1 is in the low-spin (LS) state. For C(6)-2 the average Fe(II)-N bonds (2.007(1) A) at 90 K are characteristic of the LS state, while at 298 K they are typical for the high-spin (HS) state (2.234(3) A). Compound C(6)-1 and [Fe(C18-trenH)](ClO4)2 (C(18)-1) adopts the LS state in the temperature region between 10 and 400 K, while compound C(6)-2 and [Fe(Cn-trenMe)](ClO4)2 (n = 12 (C(12)-2), 18 (C(18)-2)) exhibit spin crossover behavior at T(1/2) centered around 140 K. The thermal spin transition is accompanied by a pronounced change of color from dark red (LS) to orange (HS). The light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) effect has been investigated in compounds C(6)-2, C(12)-2 and C(18)-2. The T(1/2)LIESST is 56 K (C(6)-2), 48 K (C(16)-2), and 56 K (C(18)-2). On the basis of differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarizing microscopy, and X-ray diffraction findings for C(18)-1, C(12)-2, and C(18)-2 at high temperature a smectic mesophase SX has been identified with layered structures similar to C(6)-1 and C(6)-2. The compounds [Fe(C(n)-trenH)](Cl)2 x sH2O (n = 16 (C(16)-3, s = 3.5, C(16)-4, s = 0.5, C(16)-5, s = 0), 18 (C(18)-3, s = 3.5, C(18)-4, s = 0.5, C(18)-5, s = 0), 20 (C(20)-3, s = 3.5, C(20)-4, s = 0.5, C(20)-5, s = 0)) and [Fe(C18-tren)](F)2 x sH2O (C(18)-6, s = 3.5, C(18)-7, s = 0) show a very particular spin-state change, while [Fe(C18-tren)](Br)2 x 3H2O (C(18)-8) together with [Fe(C18-tren)](I)2 (C(18)-9) are in the LS state (10-400 K) and present mesomorphic behavior like that observed for the complexes C(18)-1, C(12)-2, and C(18)-2. In compounds C(n)-3 50% of the Fe(II) ions undergo spin-state change at T(1/2) = 375 K induced by releasing water, and in partially dehydrated compounds (s = 0.5) the Cr-->SA phase transition occurs at 287 K (C(16)-4), 301 K (C(18)-4) and 330 K (C(20)-4). For the fully dehydrated materials C(n)-5 50% of the Fe(II) ions are in the HS state and show paramagnetic behavior between 10 and 400 K. In the partially dehydrated C(n)-4 the spin transition is induced by the change of the aggregate state of matter (solid<-->liquid crystal). For compound C(18)-6 the full dehydration to C(18)-7 provokes the spin-state change of nearly 50% of the Fe(II) ions. The compounds C(n)-3 and C(18)-6 are dark purple in the LS state and become light purple-brown when 50% of the Fe(II) atoms are in the HS state.

One-dimensional iron(II) compounds exhibiting spin crossover and liquid crystalline properties in the room temperature region.

A novel series of 1D Fe(II) metallomesogens have been synthesized using the ligand 5-bis(alkoxy)- N-(4 H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)benzamide (C n -tba) and the Fe(X) 2. sH 2O salts. The polymers obey the general formula [Fe(C n -tba) 3](X) 2. sH 2O [X = CF 3SO 3 (-), BF 4 (-); n = 4, 6, 8, 10, 12]. The derivatives with n = 4, 6 exhibit spin transition behavior like in crystalline compounds, whereas those with n = 8, 10, 12 present a spin transition coexisting with the mesomorphic behavior in the room-temperature region. A columnar mesophase has been found for the majority of the metallomesogens, but also a columnar lamellar mesophase was observed for other derivatives. [Fe(C 12-tba) 3](CF 3SO 3) 2 represents a new example of a system where the phase transition directly influences the spin transition of the Fe(II) ions but is not the driving energy of the spin crossover phenomenon. The compounds display drastic changes of color from violet (low-spin state, LS) to white (high-spin state, HS). The compounds are fluid, and it is possible to prepare thin films from them.