Revising the Highest Oxidation States of the 5d Elements: The Case of Iridium(+VII)

Investigation of Isolated IrF5 -, IrF6 - Anions and M[IrF6] (M=Na, K, Rb, Cs) Ion Pairs by Matrix-Isolation Spectroscopy and Relativistic Quantum-Chemical Calculations

The molecular IrF5 -, IrF6 - anions and M[IrF6] (M=Na, K, Rb, Cs) ion pairs were prepared by co-deposition of laser-ablated alkali metal fluorides MF with IrF6 and isolated in solid neon or argon matrices under cryogenic conditions. The free anions were obtained as well by co-deposition of IrF6 with laser-ablated metals (Ir or Pt) as electron sources. The products were characterized in a combined analysis of matrix IR spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations using two-component quasi-relativistic DFT methods accounting for spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effects as well as multi-reference configuration-interaction (MRCI) approaches with SOC. Inclusion of SOC is crucial in the prediction of spectra and properties of IrF6 - and its alkali-metal ion pairs. The observed IR bands and the computations show that the IrF6 - anion adopts an Oh structure in a nondegenerate ground state stabilized by SOC effects, and not a distorted D4h structure in a triplet ground state as suggested by scalar-relativistic calculations. The corresponding "closed-shell" M[IrF6] ion pairs with C3v symmetry are stabilized by coordination of an alkali metal ion to three F atoms, and their structural change in the series from M=Na to Cs was proven spectroscopically. There is no evidence for the formation of IrF7, IrF7 - or M[IrF7] (M=Na, K, Rb, Cs) ion pairs in our experiments.

“Semi-Long-Periodical” Tabulated Version of Chemical Elements Periodic System

A possible modification of the tabulated version of the Chemical Elements Periodical System, proposed to overcome deficiencies of the two most used versions—the “short-periodical” proposed by Mendeleev and the “long-periodical” introduced by Werner and recommended by IUPAC at the present time—is discussed in this paper.

On the highest oxidation states of the actinoids in AnO4 molecules (An = Ac - Cm): A DMRG-CASSCF study

Actinoid tetroxide molecules AnO₄ (An = Ac - Cm) are investigated with the ab initio density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) approach. Natural orbital shapes are used to read out the oxidation state (OS) of the f-elements, and the atomic orbital energies and radii are used to explain the trends. The highest OSs reveal a "volcano"-type variation: For An = Ac - Np, the OSs are equal to the number of available valence electrons, that is, Ac^III , Th^IV , Pa^V , U^VI , and Np^VII . Starting with plutonium as the turning point, the highest OSs in the most stable AnO₄ isomers then decrease as Pu^V , Am^V , and Cm^III , indicating that the 5f-electrons are hard to be fully oxidized off from Pu onward. The variations are related to the actinoid contraction and to the 5f-covalency characteristics. Combined with previous work on OSs, we review their general trends throughout the periodic table, providing fundamental understanding of OS-relevant phenomena.

Investigation of Molecular Iridium Fluorides IrFn (n=1-6): A Combined Matrix-Isolation and Quantum-Chemical Study

The photo-initiated defluorination of iridium hexafluoride (IrF6 ) was investigated in neon and argon matrices at 6 K, and their photoproducts are characterized by IR and UV-vis spectroscopies as well as quantum-chemical calculations. The primary photoproducts obtained after irradiation with λ=365 nm are iridium pentafluoride (IrF5 ) and iridium trifluoride (IrF3 ), while longer irradiation of the same matrix with λ=278 nm produced iridium tetrafluoride (IrF4 ) and iridium difluoride (IrF2 ) by Ir-F bond cleavage or F2 elimination. In addition, IrF5 can be reversed to IrF6 by adding a F atom when exposed to blue-light (λ=470 nm) irradiation. Laser irradiation (λ=266 nm) of IrF4 also generated IrF6 , IrF5 , IrF3 and IrF2 . Alternatively, molecular binary iridium fluorides IrFn (n=1-6) were produced by co-deposition of laser-ablated iridium atoms with elemental fluorine in excess neon and argon matrices under cryogenic conditions. Computational studies up to scalar relativistic CCSD(T)/triple-ζ level and two-component quasirelativistic DFT computations including spin-orbit coupling effects supported the formation of these products and provided detailed insights into their molecular structures by their characteristic Ir-F stretching bands. Compared to the Jahn-Teller effect, the influence of spin-orbit coupling dominates in IrF5 , leading to a triplet ground state with C4v symmetry, which was spectroscopically detected in solid argon and neon matrices.

Exploring the Limits of Transition-Metal Fluorination at High Pressures

Fluorination is a proven method for challenging the limits of chemistry, both structurally and electronically. Here we explore computationally how pressures below 300 GPa affect the fluorination of several transition metals. A plethora of new structural phases are predicted along with the possibility for synthesizing four unobserved compounds: TcF₇ , CdF₃ , OsF₈ , and IrF₈ . The Ir and Os octaflourides are both predicted to be stable as quasi-molecular phases with an unusual cubic ligand coordination, and both compounds formally correspond to a high oxidation state of +8. Electronic-structure analysis reveals that otherwise unoccupied 6p levels are brought down in energy by the combined effects of pressure and a strong ligand field. The valence expansion of Os and Ir enables ligand-to-metal F 2p→M 6p charge transfer that strengthens M-F bonds and decreases the overall bond polarity. The lower stability of IrF₈ , and the instability of PtF₈ and several other compounds below 300 GPa, is explained by the occupation of M-F antibonding orbitals in octafluorides with a metal-valence-electron count exceeding 8.

PtX as the limit of high oxidation states in oxide–nitride species

Neutral PtO₂N₂ and PtNO₃⁺ and PtN₃O⁻ ions are theoretically predicted to be sufficiently metastable to be prepared by a skillful experimenter in cryogenic conditions. PtNO₃⁺ has a longer lifetime than the previously claimed PtO₄²⁺.

Rh2O3 versus IrO2: relativistic effects and the stability of Ir4+

Despite the wide-ranging applications of binary Rh and Ir oxides, their stability and trends in Rh and Ir oxidation states are not fully understood. Using first-principles electronic structure calculations, we demonstrate that the origin of the categorical stability of Ir(4+) is the relativistic contraction of the 6s orbital and, consequently, an expansion of 5d orbitals. Relativistic effects significantly stabilize Ir(4+)-containing metallic rutile IrO(2) over a wide range of O chemical potentials, despite the choice that Ir has of forming semiconducting corundum Ir(2)O(3). In contrast, Rh is found to display a wider stability range for corundum Rh(2)O(3) with Rh(3+) and a greater propensity for multiple oxidation states.

High-Valent Technetium Fluorides. Does TcF7 Exist?

The structures and stabilities of technetium fluorides in high oxidation states have been studied quantum-chemically at density functional theory (B3LYP) and coupled-cluster (CCSD(T)) levels. The calculations indicate clearly that technetium heptafluoride, TcF7, has a good chance of existence and preparation, thus providing the first heptafluoride in the 4d series. The [TcF6]+ cation, a potential precursor, is also computed to be thermochemically stable against gas-phase elimination reactions. The problem with such highly fluorinated complexes appears thus to be mainly in difficult synthetic access under typical condensed-phase conditions. Matrix-isolation techniques or gas-phase experiments appear to be better suited as starting points.

Where Is the Limit of Highly Fluorinated High-Oxidation-State Osmium Species?

The structures and stabilities of various osmium fluorides and oxyfluorides in high oxidation states have been studied by quantum-chemical calculations at DFT (B3LYP), MP2, CCSD, and CCSD(T) levels. The calculations indicate that the homoleptic fluorides all the way up to OsF8 may exist, even though OsF8 will be difficult to prepare. The last missing osmium oxyfluoride, OsOF6, is computed to be thermochemically stable against mononuclear gas-phase elimination reactions. The problem with the nonexistence of such highly fluorinated complexes appears thus to be mainly in difficult synthetic access under typical condensed-phase conditions. Matrix-isolation techniques might provide a means to characterize the highly fluorinated OsVIII and OsVII species.