Metal–Metal Interactions in Dinuclear (triphos)Cobalt Complexes Exhibiting Mixed Valency

Dinuclear RuII complexes with quinonoid bridges: tuning the electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of redox-switchable NIR dyes through judicious bridge design

Bridging quinonoid ligands are important platforms for generating metal-based switchable optoelectronic and magnetic materials. A possible sound way of influencing the properties of the aforementioned materials is to modify the direct metal-ligand interface. We present herein a series of dinuclear RuII complexes where the set of donor atoms at the bridging quinonoid ligands range from [O,O,O,O], [O,O,O,N], [O,N,O,N] and [O,N,O,N']. Additionally, the substituents on the N-donors were varied as well (a total of eight different quinonoid bridges are compared). We also present a mononuclear RuII complex for comparison purposes. The dinuclear complexes act as switchable NIR dyes, absorbing in the NIR region in their mixed-valent RuII/RuIII form but not in the neighboring RuII/RuII and RuIII/RuIII states. The switching potentials (the potentials at which NIR absorptions appear) and the λmax of the NIR band can be fine-tuned by varying the donor atoms as well as the electron-donating ability of the substituents on the nitrogen atoms (tuning E by ca. 0.4 V and λmax by ca. 450 nm). Introducing more electron-rich substituents at the nitrogen atoms of the bridge results in higher band energies and more cathodic redox potentials. Unsymmetrical bridging ligands increase the thermodynamic stability of the mixed-valent state. Whereas almost all of the mixed-valent species presented here belong to the delocalised type III of the Robin-Day classification, the most unsymmetrical complex 2O,N(Mes) shows characteristic signs of a borderline Class-II-III compounds. This comprehensive study thus establishes the lesser used unsymmetrically substituted quinones as excellent bridges for generating and tuning a series of properties in their corresponding metal complexes.

Three-way cooperativity in d8 metal complexes with ligands displaying chemical and redox non-innocence

Reversible proton- and electron-transfer steps are crucial for various chemical transformations. The electron-reservoir behavior of redox non-innocent ligands and the proton-reservoir behavior of chemically non-innocent ligands can be cooperatively utilized for substrate bond activation. Although site-decoupled proton- and electron-transfer steps are often found in enzymatic systems, generating model metal complexes with these properties remains challenging. To tackle this issue, we present herein complexes [(cod-H)M(μ-L(2-)) M(cod-H)] (M = Pt(II), [1] or Pd(II), [2], cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, H2L = 2,5-di-[2,6-(diisopropyl)anilino]-1,4-benzoquinone), in which cod acts as a proton reservoir, and L(2-) as an electron reservoir. Protonation of [2] leads to an unusual tetranuclear complex. However, [1] can be stepwise reversibly protonated with up to two protons on the cod-H ligands, and the protonated forms can be stepwise reversibly reduced with up to two electrons on the L(2-) ligand. The doubly protonated form of [1] is also shown to react with OMe(-) leading to an activation of the cod ligands. The site-decoupled proton and electron reservoir sources work in tandem in a three-way cooperative process that results in the transfer of two electrons and two protons to a substrate leading to its double reduction and protonation. These results will possibly provide new insights into developing catalysts for multiple proton- and electron-transfer reactions by using metal complexes of non-innocent ligands.

Redox-active bridging ligands based on indigo diimine ("Nindigo") derivatives

Reactions of indigo with a variety of substituted anilines produce the corresponding indigo diimines ("Nindigos") in good yields. Nindigo coordination complexes are subsequently prepared by reactions of the Nindigo ligands with Pd(hfac)(2). In most cases, binuclear complexes are obtained in which the deprotonated Nindigo bridges two Pd(hfac) moieties in the expected bis-bidentate binding mode. When the Nindigo possesses bulky substituents on the imine (mesityl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, etc.), mononuclear Pf(hfac) complexes are obtained in which the Nindigo core has isomerized from a trans- to a cis-alkene; in these structures, the palladium is bound to the cis-Nindigo ligand at the two indole nitrogen atoms; the remaining proton is bound between the imine nitrogen atoms. The palladium complexes possess intense electronic absorption bands [near 920 nm for the binuclear complexes and 820 nm for the mononuclear cis-Nindigo complexes; extinction coefficients are (1.0-2.0) × 10(4) M(-1) cm(-1)] that are ligand-centered (π-π*) transitions. Cyclic voltammetry investigations reveal multiple redox events that are also ligand-centered in origin. All of the palladium complexes can be reversibly oxidized in two sequential one-electron steps; the binuclear complexes are reduced in a two-electron process whose reversibility depends on the Nindigo ligand substituent; the mononuclear palladium species show two one-electron reductions, only the first of which is quasi-reversible.

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of valence ambiguous dinuclear antiferromagnetically coupled cobalt and ferromagnetically coupled iron complexes containing the chloranilate(2-) and the significantly stronger coupling chloranilate(*3-) radical trianion

Dinuclear [(TPyA)MII(CA2-)MII(TPyA)]2+ [TPyA=tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; CA2-=chloranilate dianion; M=Co (1(2+)), Fe (2(2+))] complexes have been prepared by the reaction of M(BF4)(2).6H2O, TPyA, H2CA, and triethylamine in MeOH solution. Their reduced forms [(TPyA)MII(CA*3-)MII(TPyA)]+ [M=Co(1+), Fe (2+)] have been synthesized by using cobaltocene, and oxidized forms of 1, [(TPyA)CoIII(CAn)CoIII(TPyA)]z+ [z=3, n=3- (1(3+)); z=4, n=2- (1(4+))], have been obtained by using FcBF4 and ThianBF4 (Fc=ferrocenium; Thian=thianthrinium), respectively. The dinuclear compound bridged chloranilates (CA2- or CA*3-) were isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry, magnetism, and EPR spectroscopy. Unlike the other redox products, valence ambiguous 13+ forms via a complex redox-induced valence electron rearrangement whereby the one-electron oxidation of the [CoIICA2-CoII]2+ core forms [CoIIICA*3-CoIII]3+, not the expected simple 1-e- transfer mixed-valent [CoIICA2-CoIII]3+ core. The M ions in 1 and 2 have a distorted octahedral geometry by coordination with four nitrogens of a TPyA, two oxygens of a chloranilate. Due to the interdimer offset face-to-face pi-pi and/or herringbone interactions, all complexes show extended 1-D and/or 2-D supramolecular structures. The existence of CA*3- in 1(3+) is confirmed from both solid-state magnetic and solution EPR data. Co-based 1n+ exhibit antiferromagnetic interactions [1(2+): g=2.24, J/kB=-0.65 K (-0.45 cm-1); 1+: g=2.36, J/kB=-75 K (52 cm-1)], while Fe-based 2n+ exhibit ferromagnetic interactions [2(2+): g=2.08, J/kB=1.0 K (0.70 cm-1); 2+: g=2.03, J/kB=28 K (19 cm-1)] [H=-2JS1.S2 for 12+ and 2(2+); H=-2J(S1.S2+S2.S3) for 1+ and 2+]. Thus, due to direct spin exchange CA*3- is a much strong spin coupling linkage than the superexchange spin-coupling pathway provided by CA2-.

Characterization of the Chloranilate(•3−) π Radical as a Strong Spin-Coupling Bridging Ligand

Dinuclear [(TPA)Co(II)(CA2-)Co(II)(TPA)](BF4)2.2MeOH (1) [TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine] and [(TPA)CoII(CA*3-)CoII(TPA)](BF4).2Et2O (2) with a bridging chloranilate radical ligand formed by reduction of 1 are crystallographically and magnetically characterized. 1 has shown a weak antiferromagnetic coupling within the Co(II) dimer [J/kB = -0.65 K (-0.45 cm(-1))], while 2 has a 2 orders of magnitude stronger antiferromagnetic interaction between the Co(II) ion and a radical [J/kB = -75 K (52 cm(-1))].

Uniquely Strong Electronic Communication between [Mo2] Units Linked by Dioxolene Dianions

Unprecedented strong electronic communication has been found in dimolybdenum pairs containing quadruply bonded Mo2(DAniF)3(+) (DAniF = N,N'-di-p-anisylformamidinate) units linked by dioxolene (C6X2O4(2-)) anions. The neutral compounds [Mo2(DAniF)3]2(C6X2O4) (1, X = H; 2, X = Cl; 3, X = NO2) and the singly oxidized products {[Mo2(DAniF)3]2(C6X2O4)Mo2}PF6 (4, X = H; 5, X = Cl) have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic methods. Unusually short Mo-O distances (approximately 2.05 A for 1 and 2, and approximately 2.01 A for 4 and 5) are implicated in the remarkably strong interaction between [Mo2] units via the linkers. This leads to an extensive charge delocalization in the mixed-valence species, which is mediated by the dioxolene linker, as revealed by the large deltaE(1/2) values (763, 795, and 816 mV for 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Additional evidence for the strong electronic coupling is provided by UV-vis, NIR, and EPR spectroscopies and DFT calculations.

Tris(chloranilato)ferrate(III) Anionic Building Block Containing the (Dihydroxo)oxodiiron(III) Dimer Cation: Synthesis and Characterization of [(TPA)(OH)FeIIIOFeIII(OH)(TPA)][Fe(CA)3]0.5(BF4)0.5·1.5MeOH·H2O [TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; CA = chloranilate]

[(TPA)(OH)FeIIIOFeIII(OH)(TPA)][Fe(CA)3]0.5(BF4)0.5.1.5MeOH.H2O (1) which possesses both the [FeIII(CA)3]3- (CA= chloranilate) and hydroxooxoiron(III) ions has had its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The 2-300 K magnetic susceptibility of 1 provides the magnetic parameters, g = 2.07, J/kB = -165 K (115 cm-1), theta = -1 K, and the spin impurity, rho = 0.05, which indicates a strong antiferromagnetic interaction between iron(III) ions via the oxo anion.