Paramagnetic cp/dithiolene complexes as molecular hinges: interplay of metal/ligand electronic delocalization and solid-state magnetic behavior

Photoelectron spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations of d1 vanadocene compounds with chelated dithiolate ligands: implications for pyranopterin Mo/W enzymes

Gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory have been used to investigate the electronic structures of open-shell bent vanadocene compounds with chelating dithiolate ligands, which are minimum molecular models of the active sites of pyranopterin Mo/W enzymes. The compounds Cp2V(dithiolate) [where dithiolate is 1,2-ethenedithiolate (S2C2H2) or 1,2-benzenedithiolate (bdt), and Cp is cyclopentadienyl] provide access to a 17-electron, d1 electron configuration at the metal center. Comparison with previously studied Cp2M(dithiolate) complexes, where M is Ti and Mo (respectively d0 and d2 electron configurations), allows evaluation of d0, d1, and d2 electronic configurations of the metal center that are analogues for the metal oxidation states present throughout the catalytic cycle of these enzymes. A "dithiolate-folding effect" that involves an interaction between the vanadium d orbitals and sulfur p orbitals is shown to stabilize the d1 metal center, allowing the d1 electron configuration and geometry to act as a low-energy electron pathway intermediate between the d0 and d2 electron configurations of the enzyme.

Strong Magnetic Interactions through Weak Bonding Interactions in Organometallic Radicals: Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

The magnetic properties of a series of three neutral radical organometallic complexes of general formula [CpNi(dithiolene)]. have been investigated by a combination of X-ray crystal structure analysis and magnetic susceptibility measurements, while the assignment of the exchange coupling constants to the possible exchange pathways has been accomplished with the help of calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The syntheses and X-ray structures of [CpNi(adt)] (adt=acrylonitrile-2,3-dithiolate) and [CpNi(tfd)] (tfd=1,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)ethene-1,2-dithiolate) complexes are described, while [CpNi(mnt)] (mnt=maleonitriledithiolate) was reported earlier. In the three complexes, we observed strong antiferromagnetic coupling that could not be explained solely by short SS intermolecular contacts. Our calculations indicated that spin density in these complexes is strongly delocalized on the NiS2 moiety, with up to 20% on the Cp ring. As a consequence, CpCp and Cpdithiolene overlap interactions have been identified as responsible for antiferromagnetic couplings. The [CpNi(adt)] complex thus has a value J=-369.5 cm(-1) for an exchange interaction through a pi stacking due to the CpCp overlap.

Phosphine-Substituted Dithiolene Complexes as Ligands: Communication between Ruthenium(II) Centers Through a Dimolybdenum Bis(dithiolene) Core

The reaction of Mo2(SCH2CH2S)2Cp2 (1; Cp=eta-C5H5) with an excess of an alkyne in refluxing dichloromethane affords the bis(dithiolene) complexes Mo2(micro-SCR1=CR2S)2Cp2 (2a, R1=R2=CO2Me; 2b, R1=R2=Ph; 2c, R1=H, R2=CO2Me) whereas with 1 equiv of alkyne at room temperature the mixed dithiolene-dithiolate species Mo2(micro-SCR1=CR2S)(micro-SCH2CH2S)Cp2 (3a, R1=R2=CO2Me; 3b, R1=R2=Ph) are formed. The remaining dithiolate ligand in 3 can then be converted into a different dithiolene by reaction with a second alkyne. Applying this methodology, we have used bis(diphenylphosphino)acetylene to prepare the first examples of complexes containing phosphine-substituted dithiolene ligands: Mo2{micro-SC(CO2Me)=C(CO2Me)S}{micro-SC(PPh2)=C(PPh2)S}Cp2 (2g) and Mo2{micro-SC(PPh2)=C(PPh2)S}2Cp2 (2h). Tri- and tetrametallic complexes can then be assembled by coordination of these diphosphines to CpRuCl units by reaction with CpRu(PPh3)2Cl. Electrochemical studies of the Ru(II)/Ru(III) couple in Mo2{micro-SC(PPh2)=C(PPh2)S}2Cp2(RuClCp)2 (4b) reveals that the two separate ruthenium centers are oxidized electrochemically at different potentials, demonstrating communication between them through the dimolybdenum bis(dithiolene) core. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to explore the electronic structures of these species and to predict and assign their electronic spectra.

A stepwise approach to the formation of heterometallic discrete complexes and infinite architectures

A strategy for the controlled construction of heterobimetallic discrete complexes and 1-D coordination networks is presented. The organic ligand based on the methanedithiolate group and the 4,5-diazafluorene moiety behaving as primary and secondary coordination poles respectively leads to the formation of a series of discrete metal complexes with various geometries via binding through the dithiolate site. The observed coordination geometries range from square-planar for Ni(ii) and Pd(ii) to distorted tetrahedral for Zn(ii) and Hg(ii). The square-planar Pd(ii) complex affords a discrete bimetallic trinuclear complex when treated with a capped Ni(ii) center. All three Ni(ii), Pd(ii) and Hg(ii) discrete complexes have been also shown to behave as metallatectons leading to the generation of infinite networks in the presence of bridging cations such as sodium.

Heterometallic Dithiolene Complexes Formed by Stepwise Displacement of Cyclopentadienyl Ligands from Nickelocene with CpMo(S2C2Ph2)2

The dithiolene ligand transfer reaction between Ni(S2C2Ph2)2 (1) and CpMo(CO)3Cl (2; Cp = eta-C5H5) affords the neutral paramagnetic molybdenum bis(dithiolene) complex CpM(S2C2Ph2)2 (3), which has been structurally characterized. As found in other d1 complexes of this type, one dithiolene ligand is planar while the other is significantly folded toward the Cp ligand. An unexpected second product of the reaction is the unusual trinuclear species Ni[Mo(S2C2Ph2)2Cp]2 (4), which in the solid state contains three different dithiolene bonding modes (terminal, bridging, and semi-bridging) in the same molecule. Complex 4 can also be synthesized by displacement of the diene ligands in Ni(cod)2 with 2 equiv of 3. In contrast, the reaction of nickelocene with 3 proceeds by displacement of the Cp ligands in a stepwise manner to give initially the dinuclear species NiMo(mu-S2C2Ph2)2Cp2 5, which then reacts further with 3 to produce 4.

[CpNi(dithiolene)] (and Diselenolene) Neutral Radical Complexes

Various preparations of the neutral radical [CpNi(dddt)] complex (dddt = 5,6-dihydro-1,4-dithiin-2,3-dithiolate) were investigated with CpNi sources, [Cp2Ni], [Cp2Ni](BF4), [CpNi(CO)]2, and [CpNi(cod)](BF4), and dithiolene transfer sources, O=C(dddt), the naked dithiolate (dddt(2-)), the monoanion of square-planar Ni dithiolene complex (NBu4)[Ni(dddt)2], and the neutral complex [Ni(dddt)2]. The reaction of [CpNi(cod)](BF4) with (NBu4)[Ni(dddt)2] gave the highest yield for the preparation of [CpNi(dddt)] (86%). [CpNi(ddds)] (ddds = 5,6-dihydro-1,4-dithiin-2,3-diselenolate), [CpNi(dsdt)] (dsdt = 5,6-dihydro-1,4-diselenin-2,3-dithiolate), [CpNi(bdt)] (bdt = 1,2-benzenedithiolate), and [CpNi(bds)] (bds = 1,2-benzenediselenolate) were synthesized by the reactions of [Cp2Ni] with the corresponding neutral Ni dithiolene complexes [Ni(ddds)2]2, [Ni(dsdt)2], [Ni(bdt)2], and [Ni(bds)2], respectively. The five, formally Ni(III), radical complexes oxidize and reduce reversibly. They exhibit, in the neutral state, a strong absorption in the NIR region, from 1000 nm in the dddt/ddds/dsdt series to 720 nm in the bdt/bds series with epsilon values between 2500 and 5000 M(-1) cm(-1). The molecular and solid state structures of the five complexes were determined by X-ray structure analyses. [CpNi(dddt)] and [CpNi(ddds)] are isostructural, while [CpNi(dsdt)] exhibits a closely related structure. Similarly, [CpNi(bdt)] and [CpNi(bds)] are also isostructural. Correlations between structural data and magnetic measurements show the presence of alternated spin chains in [CpNi(dddt)], [CpNi(ddds)], and [CpNi(dsdt)], while a remarkably strong antiferromagnetic interaction in [CpNi(bdt)] and [CpNi(bds)] is attributed to a Cp...Cp face-to-face sigma overlap, an original feature in organometallic radical complexes.

Probing the Intrinsic Electronic Structure of the Bis(dithiolene) Anions [M(mnt)2]2- and [M(mnt)2]1- (M = Ni, Pd, Pt; mnt = 1,2-S2C2(CN)2) in the Gas Phase by Photoelectron Spectroscopy

A detailed understanding of the electronic structure of transition metal bis(dithiolene) complexes is important because of their interesting redox, magnetic, optical, and conducting properties and their relevance to enzymes containing molybdenum and tungsten bis(dithiolene) centers. The electronic structures of the bis(dithiolene) anions [M(mnt)(2)](n-) (M = Ni, Pd, Pt; mnt = 1,2-S(2)C(2)(CN)(2); n = 0-2) were examined by a combination of photodetachment photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and density functional theory calculations. The combined experimental and theoretical data provide insight into the molecular orbital energy levels of [M(mnt)(2)](2-) and the ground and excited states of [M(mnt)(2)](1-) and [M(mnt)(2)]. Detachment features from ligand-based orbitals of [M(mnt)(2)](2-) occur at similar energies for each species, independent of the metal center, while those arising from metal-based orbitals occur at higher energies for the heavier congeners. Electronic excitation energies inferred for [M(mnt)(2)](1-) from the PES experiments agree well with those obtained in optical absorption experiments in solution, with the PES experiments providing additional insight into the changes in energy of these transitions as a function of metal. The singly charged anions [M(mnt)(2)](1-) were also prepared and studied independently. Electron detachment from the ground states of these doublet anions accessed the lowest singlet and triplet states of neutral [M(mnt)(2)], thereby providing a direct experimental measure of their singlet-triplet splitting.

Metal-Induced Reductive Ring Opening of 1,2,4,5-Tetrazines: Three Resulting Coordination Alternatives, Including the New Non-Innocent 1,2-Diiminohydrazido(2−) Bridging Ligand System

Reaction of 3,6-diaryl-1,2,4,5-tetrazines (aryl = R = phenyl, 2-furyl or 2-thienyl) with 2 equiv of Ru(acac)2(CH3CN)2 results in reductive tetrazine ring opening to yield diruthenium complexes [(acac)2Ru(III)(dih-R(2-))Ru(III)(acac)2] bridged by the new 1,2-diiminohydrazido(2-) (dih-R(2-) = HNC(R)NNC(R)NH(2-)) ligands. rac/meso diastereoisomers could be detected and separated for the compounds with R = phenyl and 2-thienyl, all species are diamagnetic and were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Crystal structure determination of the meso isomers with R = phenyl and 2-thienyl confirmed the 1,2-diiminohydrazido formulation through long N-N (approximately 1.40 A) and short C=N(H) bonds (approximately 1.31 A), implying two bridged ruthenium(III) centers at about 4.765 A distance with strong antiferromagnetic coupling. The complexes undergo two reversible and well-separated one-electron reduction and oxidation processes, respectively. EPR Spectroscopy of the paramagnetic intermediates with comproportionation constants K(c) > 10(12) and UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry were used to identify the accessible redox states as [(acac)2Ru(II)(dih-R(2-))Ru(II)(acac)2]2-, [(acac)2Ru(II)(dih-R(*-))Ru(II)(acac)2]-, [(acac)2Ru(III)(dih-R(2-))Ru(III)(acac)2], [(acac)2Ru(III)(dih-R(*-))Ru(III)(acac)2]+, and [(acac)2Ru(III)(dih-R)Ru(III)(acac)2]2+. While the UV-vis-NIR spectroscopic response of [(acac)2Ru(dih-R)Ru(acac)2](0/-/2-) is very similar to that of [(bpy)2Ru(adc-R)Ru(bpy)2](4+/3+/2+), adc-R(2-) = 1,2-diacylhydrazido(2-), the EPR result indicating ligand-centered spin for [(acac)2Ru(II)(dih-R(*-))Ru(II)(acac)2]- despite deceptive NIR absorptions around 1400 nm reveals distinct differences in the electronic structures.

A Family of Oxo-Chalcogenide Molybdenum and Tungsten Complexes, (n-Bu4N)2[M2O2(μ-Q)2(1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate)2] (M = Mo, W; Q = S, Se): New Synthetic Entries, Structure, and Gas-Phase Behavior

A new series of complexes with the general formula (n-Bu4N)2[M2O2(micro-Q)2(dmit)2] (where M = Mo, W; Q = S, Se; dmit = 1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate) have been prepared. Fragmentation of the trinuclear cluster (n-Bu4N)2[Mo3(micro3-S)(micro-S2)3(dmit)3] in the presence of triphenylphosphine (PPh3) gives the dinuclear compound (n-Bu4N)2[Mo2O2(micro-S)2(dmit)2] [(n-Bu4N)2[2]], which is formed via oxidation in air from the intermediate (n-Bu4N)2[Mo3(micro3-S)(micro-S)3(dmit)3] [(n-Bu4N)2[1]] complex. Ligand substitution of the molybdenum sulfur bridged [Mo2O2(micro-S)2(dimethylformamide)6]2+ dimer with the sodium salt of the dmit dithiolate also affords the dianionic compound (n-Bu4N)2[2]. The whole series, (n-Bu4N)2[Mo2O2(micro-Se)2(dmit)2] [(n-Bu4N)2[3]], (n-Bu4N)2[W2O2(micro-S)2(dmit)2] [(n-Bu4N)2[4]], (n-Bu4N)2[W2O2(micro-Se)2(dmit)2] [(n-Bu4N)2[5]], and (n-Bu4N)2[Mo2O2(micro-S)2(dmid)2] [(n-Bu4N)2[6]; dmid = 1,3-dithiole-2-one-4,5-dithiolate], has been synthesized by the excision of the polymeric (Mo3Q7Br4)x phases with PPh3 or 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)ethane in acetonitrile followed by the dithiolene incorporation and further degradation in air. Direct evidence of the presence of the intermediates with the formula [M3Q4(dmit)3]2- (M = Mo, W; Q = S, Se) has been obtained by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The crystal structures of (n-Bu4N)2[1], (PPh4)2[Mo2O2(micro-S)2(dmit)2] [(PPh4)2[2]; PPh4 = tetraphenylphosphonium], (n-Bu4N)2[2], (n-Bu4N)2[4], (PPh4)2[W2O2(micro-Se)2(dmit)2] [(PPh4)2[5]], and (n-Bu4N)2[6] have been determined. A detailed study of the gas-phase behavior for compounds (n-Bu4N)2[2-6] shows an identical fragmentation pathway for the whole family that consists of a partial breaking of the two dithiolene ligands followed by the dissociation of the dinuclear cluster.

Theoretical Studies on the Magnetic Switching Controlled by Stacking Patterns of Bis(maleonitriledithiolato) Nickelate(III) Dimers

Magnetic switchable maleonitriledithiolate (mnt) complexes were studied by density functional theory. The calculations were performed for anion dimers of [RBzPyR'][Ni(mnt)(2)] (RBzPyR' = derivatives of benzylpyridinium) to elucidate magnetostructural correlations and the nature of the weak intermolecular chemical bonding. The calculated results showed that the spin delocalization, favored by the eclipsed stacking and the shorter interlayer distance, was responsible for the diamagnetic character of [1-benzyl-4-aminopyridinium][Ni(mnt)(2)] at low temperature. The weak antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions were also reproduced for [1-benzyl-4-aminopyridinium][Ni(mnt)(2)] and [1-(4'-fluorobenzyl)pyridinium][Ni(mnt)(2)] at high temperature, respectively. The natural bond orbital analysis suggested that the cooperative effect of the weak intermolecular bondings may be the intrinsic driving force resulting in the switchable property, which is essentially similar to those in organic radicals exhibiting magnetic bistability. Further investigations with varying interlayer distance d, the extent of slippage (slipping distance r and deviation angle alpha), and rotational angle theta suggested that the extent of slippage played an important role in magnetic interactions. Therefore, the abrupt modulation of the extent of slippage in the [Ni(mnt)(2)](-) complexes by external perturbations provided new possibilities for the design of molecular magnetic switching devices.

A series of neutral radical CpNi(dithiolene)˙ complexes

The heteroleptic neutral radical dithiolene complexes CpNi(dmit)., CpNi(dsit). and CpNi(dmid).(dmit=1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate; dsit=1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-diselenolate; dmid=1,3-dithiole-2-one-4,5-dithiolate) are obtained from the reaction of (Cp2Ni)BF4 with either (n-Bu4N)[Ni(dmit)2] and (n-Bu4N)[Ni(dmid)2] or PhSb(dmit) and PhSb(dsit), respectively. The three complexes reduce reversibly to the corresponding Ni(II) anions and oxidize reversibly to the cationic state. As deduced from DFT calculations performed on CpNi(dmit)., the SOMO of these complexes is essentially localized on the dithiolene moiety with little metal contribution. CpNi(dsit). is isostructural with CpNi(dmit). and crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1). In the solid-state structures of both CpNi(dmit). and CpNi(dsit)., molecules interact through a three-dimensional set of intermolecular interactions mediated by short SS, SeSe and SSe contacts, as confirmed from the temperature and field dependence of the magnetic susceptibility by the observation of an antiferromagnetic ground state below T(Neel)=27 K in CpNi(dmit)., 18 K in CpNi(dsit).. Finally, CpNi(dmid). crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pnma. Molecules organize into uniform chains through the stacking of the dmid moieties in a sigma-type face-to-face overlap.