Hoch oder niedrig? Zur Erlaubtheit von Spinzuständen in der Übergangsmetallchemie

Unravelling the Role of the Pentafluoroorthotellurate Group as a Ligand in Nickel Chemistry

The pentafluoroorthotellurate group (teflate, OTeF5 ) is able to form species, for which only the fluoride analogues are known. Despite nickel fluorides being widely investigated, nickel teflates have remained elusive for decades. By reaction of [NiCl4 ]2- and neat ClOTeF5 , we have synthesized the homoleptic [Ni(OTeF5 )4 ]2- anion, which presents a distorted tetrahedral structure, unlike the polymeric [NiF4 ]2- . This high-spin complex has allowed the study of the electronic properties of the teflate group, which can be classified as a weak/medium-field ligand, and therefore behaves as the fluoride analogue also in ligand-field terms. The teflate ligands in [NEt4 ]2 [Ni(OTeF5 )4 ] are easily substituted, as shown by the formation of [Ni(NCMe)6 ][OTeF5 ]2 by dissolving it in acetonitrile. Nevertheless, careful reactions with other conventional ligands have enabled the crystallization of nickel teflate complexes with different coordination geometries, i.e. [NEt4 ]2 [trans-Ni(OEt2 )2 (OTeF5 )4 ] or [NEt4 ][Ni(bpyMe2 )(OTeF5 )3 ].

Spin Crossover and Long-Lived Excited States in a Reduced Molecular Ruby

The chromium(III) complex [CrIII (ddpd)2 ]3+ (molecular ruby; ddpd=N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dipyridine-2-yl-pyridine-2,6-diamine) is reduced to the genuine chromium(II) complex [CrII (ddpd)2 ]2+ with d4 electron configuration. This reduced molecular ruby represents one of the very few chromium(II) complexes showing spin crossover (SCO). The reversible SCO is gradual with T1/2 around room temperature. The low-spin and high-spin chromium(II) isomers exhibit distinct spectroscopic and structural properties (UV/Vis/NIR, IR, EPR spectroscopies, single-crystal XRD). Excitation of [CrII (ddpd)2 ]2+ with UV light at 20 and 290 K generates electronically excited states with microsecond lifetimes. This initial study on the unique reduced molecular ruby paves the way for thermally and photochemically switchable magnetic systems based on chromium complexes complementing the well-established iron(II) SCO systems.

Square-planar ruthenium(II) complexes: control of spin state by pincer ligand functionalization

Functionalization of the PNP pincer ligand backbone allows for a comparison of the dialkyl amido, vinyl alkyl amido, and divinyl amido ruthenium(II) pincer complex series [RuCl{N(CH2 CH2 PtBu2 )2 }], [RuCl{N(CHCHPtBu2 )(CH2 CH2 PtBu2 )}], and [RuCl{N(CHCHPtBu2 )2 }], in which the ruthenium(II) ions are in the extremely rare square-planar coordination geometry. Whereas the dialkylamido complex adopts an electronic singlet (S=0) ground state and energetically low-lying triplet (S=1) state, the vinyl alkyl amido and the divinyl amido complexes exhibit unusual triplet (S=1) ground states as confirmed by experimental and computational examination. However, essentially non-magnetic ground states arise for the two intermediate-spin complexes owing to unusually large zero-field splitting (D>+200 cm(-1) ). The change in ground state electronic configuration is attributed to tailored pincer ligand-to-metal π-donation within the PNP ligand series.

X-X through-cage bonding in Cu, Ni, and Cr complexes with M3X2 cores (X=S, As)

Density functional calculations on trinuclear complexes bridged by two sulfur atoms, [(tmeda)(3)Cu(3)(mu-S)(2)](3+), [(tmeda)(3)Ni(3)(mu-S)(2)](2+), and [(tmeda)(3)Ni(3)(mu-S(2))](4+), as well as on the formation of [(tmeda)(3)Cu(3)(mu-S)(2)](3+) from a dinuclear [(tmeda)(2)Cu(2)(mu-S(2))](2+) complex and a mononuclear [(tmeda)Cu(eta(2)-S(2))](+) fragment, are reported. A qualitative orbital analysis of the M(3)X(2) framework bonding is presented for the case in which each metal atom M has a square planar coordination sphere completed by one bidentate or two monodentate ligands (that is, [(L(2)M)(3)X(2)] compounds). It is concluded that a framework electron count (FEC) of 12 corresponds to systems with six M-X bonds but no X-X bond through the cage, while an FEC of 10 favors the formation of an X-X bond. Framework electron counting rules are also presented for related M(3)X(2) cores in [(L(5)M)(3)X(2)] complexes, based on a qualitative molecular orbital (MO) analysis supported by DFT calculations on [(OC)(15)Cr(3)(mu-As(2))].

Polyhedral structures with an odd number of vertices: nine-coordinate metal compounds

The stereochemistry of nine-coordinate transition-metal and rare-earth compounds has been studied by means of continuous shape measures (CShM) and related tools. Several reference nine-vertex polyhedra have been defined and their minimal distortion interconversion paths established. A theoretical shape map is presented in which the structures can be placed according to their distances in CShM space to the capped square antiprism and the tricapped trigonal prism, which are the most common polyhedra in nine-coordinate compounds. The structures of almost 2000 metal coordination spheres in molecular and extended solid-state compounds have been analyzed. Clear stereochemical trends can be established for subsets of these compounds grouped according to the nature of their ligands, which include families of compounds spread along the interconversion paths between the capped square antiprism and the capped cube, or between the tricapped trigonal prism and the tridiminished icosahedron.

Shape and Spin State in Four-Coordinate Transition-Metal Complexes: The Case of the d6 Configuration

Generalized polyhedral interconversion coordinates are defined within the framework of Avnir's continuous shape measures. The application of such interconversion coordinates to the study of the potential energy surfaces that define the stereochemical choice in four-coordinate transition metal complexes with different spin states is presented, and the correlation between potential energy curves and distribution of experimental structures along the tetrahedron to square interconversion path is shown for the case of the d(6) transition-metal complexes.