Improved Segmented All-Electron Relativistically Contracted Basis Sets for the Lanthanides

The effect of co-ligands on the performance of single-molecule magnet behaviours in a family of linear trinuclear Zn-Dy-Zn complexes with a compartmental Schiff base

We present herein magneto-structural studies of three heterometallic Zn2Dy complexes: [Zn2Dy(L)2Cl2(H2O)](ClO4)·4H2O (1), [Zn2Dy(L)2Br2(H2O)](ClO4)·4H2O (2) and [Zn2Dy(L)2(OAc)I(H2O)]I3·4H2O (3), utilizing a new Schiff base ligand, N,N'-bis(3-methoxy-5-methylsalicylidene)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (H2L). Complexes 1 and 2 exhibit remarkable magnetic relaxation behaviour with relatively high energy barriers in zero field (Ueff: 244 K for 1 and 211 K for 2) and notable hysteresis temperatures, despite the low local geometric symmetry around the central DyIII ions. The SMM performance of these complexes is further enhanced under an applied magnetic field, with Ueff increasing to 309 K for 1 and 269 K for 2, positioning them as elite members within the Zn-Dy SMM family. These findings emphasize the substantial influence of remote modulation on ZnII beyond the first coordination sphere of DyIII ions on their dynamic magnetic relaxation properties. Ab initio studies demonstrate that the relative orientation of the phenoxo-oxygen donor atoms around the DyIII ion is critical for determining the magnetic anisotropy and relaxation dynamics in these systems. Additionally, experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that the coordination of the bridging acetate towards the hard plane, combined with significant distortion from the ideal ZnO2Dy diamond core arrangement caused by the acetate ion, results in low magnetic anisotropy in complex 3, thereby leading to field-induced SMM behaviour. Overall, this study unveils the effects of co-ligands on the SMM performance in a series of linear trinuclear Zn-Dy-Zn complexes, which exhibit low local geometric symmetry around the DyIII centres.

Spin dynamics phenomena of a cerium(III) double-decker complex induced by intramolecular electron transfer

Switchable spin dynamic properties in single-molecule magnets (SMMs) via an applied stimulus have applications in single-molecule devices. Many SMMs containing heavy lanthanoid ions with strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy have been reported to exhibit SMM characteristics in the absence of an external magnetic field. On the other hand, SMMs containing light lanthanoid cerium(III) (Ce3+) ions exhibit field-induced slow magnetic relaxation. We investigated the chemical conversion of a diamagnetic Ce4+ ion (4f0) to a paramagnetic Ce3+ ion (4f1) in Ce-phthalocyaninato double-decker complexes (TBA+[Ce(obPc)2]- (1) and TBA+[Ce(Pc)2]- (2)) which exhibit field-induced SMM behaviour due to a 4f1 system. The phthalocyaninato ligands with electron-donating substituents (obPc2- = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octabutoxyphthalocyaninato) in 1 have a significant effect on the valence state of the Ce ion, which is reflected in its magnetic properties due to the mixed valence state of the Ce ion. Given that Ce double-decker complexes with π-conjugated ligands undergo intramolecular electron transfer (IET) to the Ce ion mixed valence state, characterised by a mixture of 4f0 and 4f1 configurations, we examined the dynamic disorder inherent in IET influencing magnetic relaxation.

Auxiliary Rather Than Dominant. The Role of Direct Dy-S Coordination in Single-Molecule Magnet Unveiled via ab initio Study

The role of Dy-S coordination in a single-molecule magnet (SMM) is investigated via an ab initio study in a group of mononuclear structures. The SMM performance of this group is well interpreted via a concise criterion consisting of long quantum tunneling of magnetization (QTM) time τQTM and high effective barrier for magnetic reversal Ueff. The best SMMs in the selected group, i.e., 1Dy (CCDC refcode: PUKFAF) and 2Dy (CCDC refcode: NIKSEJ), are just those holding the longest τQTM and the highest Ueff simultaneously. Further analysis based on the crystal field model and ab initio magneto-structural exploration indicates that the influence of Dy-S coordination on the SMM performance of 1Dy is weaker than that of axial Dy-O coordination. Thus, Dy-S coordination is more likely to play an auxiliary role rather than a dominant one. However, if placed at the suitable equatorial position, Dy-S coordination could provide important support for good SMM performance. Consequently, starting from 1Dy, we built two new structures where Dy-S coordination only exists at the equatorial position and two axial positions are occupied by strong Dy-O/Dy-F coordination. Compared to 1Dy and 2Dy, these new ones are predicted to have significantly longer τQTM and higher Ueff, as well as a nearly doubled blocking temperature TB. Thus, they are probable candidates of SMM having clearly improved performance.

Lanthanide(III) SMMs with cationic and anionic complex fragments formed by a Schiff base: structure, luminescence, magnetic properties and ab initio calculations

The syntheses, structures, luminescence and magnetic properties of a new series of Ln(III) complexes of the formula [Ln(L)(H2O)2(DMF)2][Ln(L)2] (in which H2L is N,N'-ethylaminebis[1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-formylimino-2-pyrazoline-5-one]; Ln(III) - Gd (1), Tb (2), or Dy (3) ions). The crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements for all the above-mentioned complexes. The crystals of these compounds consist of cationic [Ln(L)(H2O)2(DMF)2]+ and anionic [Ln(L)2] moieties which form a 3D supramolecular architecture by the H-bonds and electrostatic forces. Luminescence emission in the visible range was observed for Tb(III) and Dy(III) compounds upon ligand sensitization, with moderate quantum yields of 3.2% for the Dy complex and 24.2% for the Tb analogue. Moreover the Tb(III) complex demonstrates triboluminescence activity. The dynamic magnetization studies revealed that 1 and 2 demonstrate field-induced magnetic relaxation with effective energy barriers, ΔE|kB = 24 K (for 1) and 85 K (for 2), while the Dy complex 3 exhibits slow relaxation of magnetization in zero field with an activation energy of 256 K.

Linear, Electron-Rich Erbium Single-Molecule Magnet with Dibenzocyclooctatetraene Ligands

Judicious design of ligand scaffolds to highly anisotropic lanthanide ions led to substantial advances in molecular spintronics and single-molecule magnetism. Erbium-based single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are rare, which is attributed to the prolate-shaped ErIII ion requiring an equatorial ligand field for enhancing its single-ion magnetic anisotropy. Here, we present an electron-rich mononuclear Er SMM, [K(crypt-222)][Er(dbCOT)2], 1 (where dbCOT = dibenzocyclooctatetraene), that was obtained from a salt metathesis reaction of ErCl3 and K2dbCOT. The dipotassium salt, K2dbCOT, was generated through a two-electron reduction of the bare dbCOT0 ligand employing potassium graphite and was crystallized from DME to give the new solvated complex, [K(DME)]2[dbCOT]n, 2. 1 was analyzed through crystallography, electrochemistry, spectroscopy, magnetometry, and CASSCF calculations. The structure of 1 consists of an anionic metallocene complex featuring a linear (180.0°) geometry with an ErIII ion sandwiched between dianionic dbCOT ligands and an outer-sphere K+ ion encapsulated in 2.2.2-cryptand. Two pronounced redox events at negative potentials allude to the formation of a trianionic erbocene complex, [Er(dbCOT)2]3-, on the electrochemical time scale. 1 shows slow magnetic relaxation with an effective spin-reversal barrier of Ueff = 114(2) cm-1, which is close in magnitude to the calculated energies of the first and second excited states of 96.9 and 109.13 cm-1, respectively. 1 exhibits waist-constricted hysteresis loops below 4 K and constitutes the first example of an erbocene-SMM bearing fused aromatic rings to the central COT ligand. Notably, 1 comprises the largest COT scaffold implemented in erbocene SMMs, yielding the most electron-rich homoleptic erbium metallocene SMM.

Computational Analysis of Low Overpotential Ammonia Oxidation by Metal-Metal Bonded Ruthenium Catalysts, and Predictions for Related Osmium Catalysts

The catalyzed electrochemical oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen (AOR) is an important fuel-cell half-reaction that underpins a future nitrogen-based energy economy. Our laboratory has reported spontaneous chemical and electrochemical oxidation of ammonia to dinitrogen via reaction of ammonia with the metal-metal bonded diruthenium complex Ru2(chp)4OTf (chp- = 2-chloro-6-hydroxypyridinate, TfO- = trifluoromethanesulfonate). This complex facilitates electrocatalytic ammonia oxidation at mild applied potentials of -255 mV vs ferrocene, which is the [Ru2(chp)4(NH3)]0/+ redox potential. We now report a comprehensive computational investigation of possible mechanisms for this reaction and electronic structure analysis of key intermediates therein. We extend this analysis to proposed second-generation electrocatalysts bearing structurally similar fhp and hmp (2-fluoro-6-hydroxypyridinate and 2-hydroxy-6-methylpyridinate, respectively) equatorial ligands, and we further expand this study from Ru2 to analogous Os2 cores. Predicted M24+/5+ redox potentials, which we expect to correlate with experimental AOR overpotential, depend strongly on the identity of the metal center, and to a lesser degree on the nature of the equatorial supporting ligand. Os2 complexes are easier to oxidize than analogous Ru2 complexes by ∼640 mV, on average. In contrast to mono-Ru catalysts, which oxidize ammonia via a rate-limiting activation of the strong N-H bond, we find lowest-energy reaction pathways for Ru2 and Os2 complexes that involve direct N-N bond formation onto electrophilic intermediates having terminal amido, imido, or nitrido groups. While transition state energies for Os2 complexes are high, those for Ru2 complexes are moderate and notably lower than those for mono-Ru complexes. We attribute these lower barriers to enhanced electrophilicity of the Ru2 intermediates, which is a consequence of their metal-metal bonded structure. Os2 intermediates are found to be, surprisingly, less electrophilic, and we suggest that Os2 complexes may require access to oxidation states higher than Os25+ in order to perform AOR at reasonable reaction rates.

Engineering Clock Transitions in Molecular Lanthanide Complexes

Molecular lanthanide (Ln) complexes are promising candidates for the development of next-generation quantum technologies. High-symmetry structures incorporating integer spin Ln ions can give rise to well-isolated crystal field quasi-doublet ground states, i.e., quantum two-level systems that may serve as the basis for magnetic qubits. Recent work has shown that symmetry lowering of the coordination environment around the Ln ion can produce an avoided crossing or clock transition within the ground doublet, leading to significantly enhanced coherence. Here, we employ single-crystal high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-level ab initio calculations to carry out a detailed investigation of the nine-coordinate complexes, [HoIIIL1L2], where L1 = 1,4,7,10-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraaza-cyclododecane and L2 = F- (1) or [MeCN]0 (2). The pseudo-4-fold symmetry imposed by the neutral organic ligand scaffold (L1) and the apical anionic fluoride ion generates a strong axial anisotropy with an mJ = ±8 ground-state quasi-doublet in 1, where mJ denotes the projection of the J = 8 spin-orbital moment onto the ∼C4 axis. Meanwhile, off-diagonal crystal field interactions give rise to a giant 116.4 ± 1.0 GHz clock transition within this doublet. We then demonstrate targeted crystal field engineering of the clock transition by replacing F- with neutral MeCN (2), resulting in an increase in the clock transition frequency by a factor of 2.2. The experimental results are in broad agreement with quantum chemical calculations. This tunability is highly desirable because decoherence caused by second-order sensitivity to magnetic noise scales inversely with the clock transition frequency.

Vibrational anisotropy decay resolves rare earth binding induced conformational change in DTPA

Elucidating the relationship between metal-ligand interactions and the associated conformational change of the ligand is critical for understanding the separation of lanthanides via ion binding. Here we examine DTPA, a multidentate ligand that binds lanthanides, in its free and metal bound conformations using ultrafast polarization dependent vibrational spectroscopy. The polarization dependent pump-probe spectra were analyzed to extract the isotropic and anisotropic response of DTPA's carbonyl groups in the 1550-1650 cm-1 spectral region. The isotropic response reports on the population relaxation of the carbonyl stretching modes. We find that the isotropic response is influenced by the identity of the metal ion. The anisotropy decay of the carbonyl stretching modes reveals a faster decay in the lanthanide-DTPA complexes than in the free DTPA ligand. We attribute the anisotropy decay to energy transfer among the different carbonyl sites - where the conformational change results in an increased coupling between the carbonyl sites of metal-bound DTPA complexes. DFT calculations and theoretical simulations of energy transfer suggest that the carbonyl sites are more strongly coupled in the metal-bound conformations compared to the free DTPA. The stronger coupling in the metal bound DTPA conformation leads to efficient energy transfer among the different carbonyl sites. Comparing the rate of anisotropy decay across the series of metal bound DTPA complexes we find that the anisotropy is sensitive to the charge density of the central metal ion, and thus can serve as a molecular scale reporter for lanthanide ion binding.

Single-Molecule Magnet Behavior of Confined Dy(III) in a Mixed Heteroatom-Substituted Polyoxotungstate

Two heteroatom-templated Dy(III)-confined polyoxotungstates [H2N(CH3)2]7Na7[Dy2(H2O)7(W4O9)(HPSeW15O54)(α-SeW9O33)2]·31H2O (1) and [H2N(CH3)2]14K2Na18{[Dy2(H2O)13W14O40]2[α-SeW9O33]4[HPSeW15O54]2}·44H2O (2) were synthesized by a one-pot aqueous reaction and structurally characterized. The most distinctive structural feature of complexes 1 & 2 is the simultaneous presence of both trivacant Keggin [α-SeW9O33]8- and Dawson [HPSeW15O54]10- building blocks containing P(III)-Se(IV) heteroatoms. The trimeric polyanion of 1 can be represented as a fusion of two trivacant Keggin [α-SeW9O33]8- and Dawson [HPSeW15O54]10- building units encapsulating the [Dy2(H2O)7(W4O9)]12+ cluster. On the other hand, hexameric polyoxoanions of 2 are described as four trivacant Keggin [α-SeW9O33]8- and two Dawson [HPSeW15O54]10-, building units anchoring a [Dy4(H2O)26W28O80]20+ cluster. The magnetic investigation revealed the presence of significant magnetic anisotropy and slow relaxation of magnetization behavior for complex 1 with a phenomenological energy barrier, Ueff = 13.58 K in the absence of an external magnetic field, and Ueff = 24.57 K in the presence of a 500 Oe external dc magnetic field. On the other hand, complex 2 favors the QTM relaxation process in the absence of an external magnetic field and shows field-induced slow relaxation of magnetization with Ueff = 11.11 K at 1500 Oe applied dc field. The in-depth analysis of magnetic relaxation dynamics shows that the relaxation process follows the Orbach as well as Raman relaxation pathways. Further, the ab initio calculation of the studied complexes confirms that the highly axial ground and first excited energy states (containing pure highest mJ states) are responsible for the observed single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior. Remarkably, this is the first example of a mixed heteroatom-based Dy(III)-substituted polyoxotungstate with both trimeric Keggin [α-SeW9O33]8- and Dawson [HPSeW15O54]10- building units showing SMM behavior.

A Green Environmental Protection Photocatalytic Molecular Reactor for Aerobic Oxidation of Sulfide to Sulfoxide

The design and synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as photocatalytic molecular reactors for varied reactions have drawn great attention. In this work, we designed a novel photoactive perylenediimides-based (PDI) carboxylate ligand N,N'-di(3',3",5',5"-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl))-1,2,6,7-tetrachloroperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid diimide (Cl-PDI-TA) and use it to successfully synthesize a novel Zr(IV)-based MOF 1 constructed from [Zr6 O8 (H2 O)8 ]8+ clusters bridged by Cl-PDI-TA ligands. Structural analysis revealed that Zr-MOF 1 manifests a 3D framework with (4,8)-connected csq topology and possesses triangular channels of ~17 Å and mesoporous hexagonal channels of ~26 Å along c-axis. Moreover, the synthesized Zr-MOF 1 exhibits visible-light absorption and efficient photoinduced free radical generation property, making it a promising photocatalytic molecular reactor. When Zr-MOF 1 was used as a photocatalyst for the aerobic oxidation of sulfides under irradiation of visible light, it could afford the corresponding sulfoxides with high yield and selectivity. Experimental results demonstrated that the substrate sulfides could be fixed in the pores of 1 and directly transformed to the products sulfoxides in the solid state. Furthermore, the mechanism for the photocatalytic transformation was also investigated and the results revealed that the singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) and superoxide radical (O2 ⋅- ) generated by the energy transfer and electron transfer from the photoexcited Zr-MOF to oxidants were the main active species for the catalytic reactions. This work offers a perceptive comprehension of the mechanism in PDI-based MOFs for further study on photocatalytic reactions.

Insight into ferromagnetic interactions in CuII-LnIII dimers with a compartmental ligand

In the last two decades, efforts have been devoted to obtaining insight into the magnetic interactions between CuII and LnIII utilizing experimental and theoretical means. Experimentally, it has been observed that the exchange coupling (J) in CuII-LnIII systems is often found to be ferromagnetic for ≥4f7 metal ions. However, exchange interactions at sub-Kelvin temperatures between CuII and the anisotropic/isotropic LnIII ions are not often explored. In this report, we have synthesized a series of heterobimetallic [CuLn(HL)(μ-piv)(piv)2] complexes (LnIII = Gd (1), Tb (2), Dy (3) and Er (4)) from a new compartmental Schiff base ligand, N,N'-bis(3-methoxy-5-methylsalicylidene)-1,3-diamino-2-propanol (H3L). X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that all four complexes are isostructural and isomorphous. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal a ferromagnetic coupling between the CuII ion and its respective LnIII ion for all the complexes, as often observed. Moreover, μ-SQUID studies, at sub-Kelvin temperatures, show S-shaped hysteresis loops indicating the presence of antiferromagnetic coupling in complexes 1-3. The antiferromagnetic interaction is explained by considering the shortest Cu⋯Cu distance in the crystal structure. The nearly closed loops for 1-3 highlight their fast relaxation characteristics, while the opened loops for 4 might arise from intermolecular ordering. CASSCF calculations allow the quantitative assessment of the interactions, which are further supported by BS-DFT calculations.

Understanding Single-Molecule Magnet properties of lanthanide complexes from 4f orbital splitting

We present an approach for connecting the magnetic anisotropy of lanthanide mononuclear complexes with their f-orbital splitting for both idealized and real coordination environments. Our proposal is straightforward to apply and provides sensible estimations of the energy spacing of the ground multiplet for axial magnetic systems. This energy splitting controls Single-Molecule Magnet properties of lanthanide complexes, determining key parameters such as the demagnetization energy barrier (Ueff). Importantly, this approach is consistent with the current paradigm of oblate and prolate preferences for the distribution of the f-electron density, but delivers a finer description for ions belonging to the same group (e.g. the oblates TbIII and DyIII). The model provides simple explanations for some general trends observed experimentally (e.g. the low barriers for ErIII complexes in comparison to DyIII or the large barriers observed for cyclopentadienyl DyIII complexes in comparison with other ligands based on organometallic rings), contributing as a valuable tool to expand our description of ligand field effects in lanthanide-based SMMs.

Scalar Relativistic Effects with Multiwavelets: Implementation and Benchmark

The importance of relativistic effects in quantum chemistry is widely recognized, not only for heavier elements but throughout the periodic table. At the same time, relativistic effects are strongest in the nuclear region, where the description of electrons through a linear combination of atomic orbitals becomes more challenging. Furthermore, the choice of basis sets for heavier elements is limited compared with lighter elements where precise basis sets are available. Thanks to the framework of multiresolution analysis, multiwavelets provide an appealing alternative to overcoming this challenge: they lead to robust error control and adaptive algorithms that automatically refine the basis set description until the desired precision is reached. This allows one to achieve a proper description of the nuclear region. In this work, we extended the multiwavelet-based code MRChem to the scalar zero-order regular approximation framework. We validated our implementation by comparing the total energies for a small set of elements and molecules. To confirm the validity of our implementation, we compared both against a radial numerical code for atoms and the plane-wave-based code EXCITING.

Magnetic properties of a europium(III) complex - possible multiplet crossover

A dinuclear complex [(H2O)Zn(LH)Eu(NO3)3] containing a hexadentate Schiff-base {N2O4}-donor ligand LH2- was prepared and characterized by X-ray structural analysis and IR, electronic and fluorescence spectroscopy. DC magnetic data show that upon heating the diamagnetic complex with the ground state Eu(III)-7F0 and Zn(II)-1S switches to paramagnetic species due to the population of 7FJ (J = 1 to 6) magnetic multiplets. The magnetic susceptibility increases from zero, passes through a maximum, and then decreases upon heating. This behaviour can be explained using a spin-orbit Hamiltonian with an axial distortion term. There is an alternative interpretation of the susceptibility data based on a two-level model similar to that used in the spin crossover theory.

Ferrocenyl-based di- and trinuclear lanthanide complexes: solid state structures, (spectro)electrochemical and DFT studies

Dinuclear and trinuclear ferrocenylcarboxylato-bridged lanthanide complexes of type [Ln(μO:κ2OO'-O2CFc)(O2CFc)2(H2O)(dmf)]2·(dmf)2 (Ln = Sm (2), Eu (3), Gd (4), Tb (5); Fc = Fe(η5-C5H4)(η5-C5H5)), and novel [Bu4N][Ln3(μ-O2CFc)3(μO:κ2OO'-O2CFc)3(O2CFc)3(μ3-OH)]·[Bu4N]Cl (Ln = Gd (6), Tb (7)) were prepared by the reaction of [LnCl3·6H2O] (synthesis of 2-5) or LnCl3 (synthesis of 6, 7) with FcCO2H (1) in the ratio of 1 : 3. As evidenced by single crystal X-ray structure determination, in 2-5 the lanthanide ions are connected by symmetric FcCO2 units. In addition, two ferrocenylcarboxylato groups are μ-bridged to LnIII. Each LnIII ion is coordinated by nine oxygen donor atoms derived from one H2O, one dmf and three carboxylates. The latter are found in chelating κ2 and bridging μ,κ3 coordination modes. Complexes 6 and 7 assemble three LnIII cores around a central μ3-netting hydroxide and nine FcCO2 entities. A combination of κ2, μ,κ2 and μ,κ3 coordination modes results in an eight-fold coordination sphere for each metal, which is best described as bicapped trigonal prismatic. IR spectroscopy confirms the chelating and bridging motifs. Electrochemical studies of complexes 2-7via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV) showed one redox event between E°' = 250 and 260 mV vs. FcH/FcH+ for 2-5 with all six FcCO2 redox events superimposed. Complexes 6 and 7 show a total of three events in the CV with the oxidations of the nine FcCO2 units occurring in close proximity. Deconvolution of individual redox events correlates well with the mononuclear complex [Bu4N][Gd(O2CFc)4]. UV-Vis/NIR spectroelectrochemical measurements of 7 did not reveal electron transfer between either Fc units, nor the coordinated lanthanides and resembled the absorption behavior of [Bu4N][Tb(O2CFc)4]. DFT (Density Functional Theory) calculations on the B3LYP def2-TZVP level of theory were carried out to assign the order of redox events in 6 showing that the spatial distance towards the most recent redox center, instead of the binding mode, is decisive.

Effect of hydration equilibria on the relaxometric properties of Gd(III) complexes: new insights into old systems

We present a detailed relaxometric and computational investigation of three Gd(III) complexes that exist in solution as an equilibrium of two species with a different number of coordinated water molecules: [Gd(H2O)q]3+ (q = 8, 9), [Gd(EDTA)(H2O)q]- and [Gd(CDTA)(H2O)q]- (q = 2, 3). 1H nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) data were recorded from aqueous solutions of these complexes using a wide Larmor frequency range (0.01-500 MHz). These data were complemented with 17O transverse relaxation rates and chemical shifts recorded at different temperatures. The simultaneous fit of the NMRD and 17O NMR data was guided by computational studies performed at the DFT and CASSCF/NEVPT2 levels, which provided information on Gd⋯H distances, 17O hyperfine coupling constants and the zero-field splitting (ZFS) energy, which affects electronic relaxation. The hydration equilibrium did not have a very important effect in the fits of the experimental data for [Gd(H2O)q]3+ and [Gd(CDTA)(H2O)q]-, as the hydration equilibrium is largely shifted to the species with the lowest hydration number (q = 8 and 2, respectively). The quality of the analysis improves however considerably for [Gd(EDTA)(H2O)q]- upon considering the effect of the hydration equilibrium. As a result, this study provides for the first time an analysis of the relaxation properties of this important model system, as well as accurate parameters for [Gd(H2O)q]3+ and [Gd(CDTA)(H2O)q]-.

Influence of symmetry on the magneto-optical properties of a bifunctional macrocyclic DyIII complex

In this work, a novel complex, [Dy(LPr)(NO3)2]·(H2O)·(NO3) (1), containing a highly distorted macrocyclic ligand (LPr) and weak axial anions (NO3-), was synthesized and characterized. Even though this coordination environment is not ideal for maximizing the magnetic anisotropy of a DyIII ion, a magneto-structural analysis reveals that the high distortion of the macrocycle promotes a disposition of the hard plane and easy axis opposite to the expected one. This results in a quite symmetrical environment which allows obtaining a field induced SMM behaviour. The magnetic relaxation properties of this complex were rationalized with the aid of ab initio multireference calculations. Moreover, 1 showed the characteristic emission bands of DyIII ion, indicating that the macrocyclic ligand acts as an efficient sensitizer in the energy transfer process to the emissive state of the DyIII ion. Due to the symmetric environment of 1, the Y/B intensity ratio (0.61) results in CIE coordinates (0.278; 0.314), close to those of the white light region. To gain further insight into the mechanism leading to the luminescence properties, ab initio calculations were performed to elucidate the key factors controlling the Y/B intensity ratio in this bifunctional complex.

Spin Qubit in a 2D GdIII NaI -Based Oxamato Supramolecular Coordination Framework

Qubits are the basic unit of quantum information and computation. To realize quantum computing and information processing, the decoherence times of qubits must be long enough. Among the studies of molecule-based electron spin qubits, most of the work focused on the ions with the spin S=1/2, where only single-bit gates can be constructed. However, quantum operations require the qubits to interact with each other, so people gradually carry out relevant research in ions or systems with S>1/2 and multilevel states. In this work, a two-dimensional (2D) oxygen-coordinated GdIII NaI -based oxamato supramolecular coordination framework, Na[Gd(4-HOpa)4 (H2 O)] ⋅ 2H2 O (1, 4-HOpa=N-4-hydroxyphenyloxamate), was selected as a possible carrier of qubit. The field-induced slow magnetic relaxation shows this system has phonon bottleneck (PB) effect at low temperatures with a very weak magnetic anisotropy. The pulse electron paramagnetic resonance studies show the spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times are T1 =1.66 ms at 4 K and Tm =4.25 μs at 8 K for its diamagnetically diluted sample (1Gd0.12 %). It suggested that the relatively long decoherence time is mainly ascribed to its near isotropic and the PB effect from resonance phonon trapped for pure sample, while the dilution further improves its qubit performance.

Bipyridil-based chelators for Gd(III) complexation: kinetic, structural and relaxation properties

In the last 20 years, research in the field of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) contrast agents (CAs) has been intensified due to the emergence of a disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). NSF has been linked to the in vivo dissociation of certain Gd(III)-based compounds applied in MRI as CAs. To prevent the dechelation of the probes after intravenous injection, the improvement of their in vivo stability is highly desired. The inertness of the Gd(III) chelates can be increased through the rigidification of the ligand structure. One of the potential ligands is (2,2',2'',2'''-(([2,2'-bipyridine]-6,6'-diylbis(methylene))bis(azanetriyl))tetraacetic acid) (H4DIPTA), which has been successfully used as a fluorescent probe for lanthanides; however, it has never been considered as a potential chelator for Gd(III) ions. In this paper, we report the thermodynamic, kinetic and structural features of the complex formed between Gd(III) and DIPTA. Since the solubility of the [Gd(DIPTA)]- chelate is very low under acidic conditions, hampering its thermodynamic characterization, we can only assume that its stability is close to that determined for the structural analogue [Gd(FENTA)]- (H4FENTA: (1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diyl)bis(methyliminodiacetic acid)), which is similar to that determined for the agent [Gd(DTPA)]2- routinely used in clinical practice. Unfortunately, the inertness of [Gd(DIPTA)]- is significantly lower (t1/2 = 1.34 h) than that observed for [Gd(EGTA)]- and [Gd(DTPA)]2- as a result of its spontaneous dissociation pathway during dechelation. The relaxivity values of [Gd(DIPTA)]- are comparable with those of [Gd(FENTA)]- and somewhat higher than the values characterizing [Gd(DTPA)]2-. Luminescence lifetime measurements indicate the presence of one water molecule (q = 1) in the inner sphere of the complex with a relatively high water exchange rate (k298ex = 43(5) × 106 s-1). DFT calculations suggest a rigid distorted tricapped trigonal prismatic polyhedron for the Gd(III) complex. On the basis of these results, we can conclude that the bipyridine backbone is not favourable with respect to the inertness of the chelate.

Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Lanthanide Pyridinylphosphonic Tacn and Pyclen Derivatives: From Mononuclear Complexes to Supramolecular Heteronuclear Assemblies

Synthetic methodologies were developed to achieve the preparation of ligands L1 and L2 consisting of tacn- and pyclen-based chelators decorated with pyridinylphosphonic pendant arms combined with ethylpicolinamide or acetate coordinating functions, respectively. Phosphonate functions have been selected for their high affinity toward Ln3+ ions compared to their carboxylated counterparts and for their steric hindrance that favors the formation of less-hydrated complexes. Thanks to regiospecific N-functionalization of the macrocyclic backbones, the two ligands were isolated with good yields and implicated in a comprehensive photophysical study for the complexation of Eu3+, Tb3+, and Yb3+. The coordination behavior of L1 and L2 with these cations has been first investigated by means of a combination of UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, steady-state and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy, and 1H and 31P NMR titration experiments. Structural characterization in solution was assessed by NMR spectroscopy, corroborated by theoretical calculations. Spectroscopic characterization of the Ln3+ complexes of L1 and L2 was done in water and D2O and showed the effective sensitization of the lanthanide metal-centered emission spectra, each exhibiting typical lanthanide emission bands. The results obtained for the phosphonated ligands were compared with those reported previously for the corresponding carboxylated analogues.

Theoretical Magnetic Relaxation and Spin-Phonon Coupling Study in a Series of Molecular Engineering Designed Bridged Dysprosocenium Analogues

A detailed computational study of hypothetical sandwich dysprosium double-decker complexes, bridged by various numbers of aliphatic linkers, was performed to evaluate the effect of the structural modifications on their ground-state magnetic sublevels and assess their potential as candidates for single-molecule magnets (SMMs). The molecular structures of seven complexes were optimized using the TPSSh functional, and the electronic structure and magnetic properties were investigated using the complete active space self-consistent field method (CASSCF). Estimates of the magnetic moment blocking barrier (Ueff) and blocking temperatures (TB) are reported. In addition, a new method based on computed derivatives of effective demagnetization barriers Ueff with respect to vibrational normal modes was introduced and applied to evaluate the impact of spin-phonon coupling on the SMM properties. On the basis of the computed parameters, we have identified promising candidates with properties superior to those of the existing single-molecule magnets.

Effect of Magnetic Anisotropy on the 1H NMR Paramagnetic Shifts and Relaxation Rates of Small Dysprosium(III) Complexes

We present a detailed analysis of the 1H NMR chemical shifts and transverse relaxation rates of three small Dy(III) complexes having different symmetries (C3, D2 or C2). The complexes show sizeable emission in the visible region due to 4F9/2 → 6HJ transitions (J = 15/2 to 11/2). Additionally, NIR emission is observed at ca. 850 (4F9/2 → 6H7/2), 930 (4F9/2 → 6H5/2), 1010 (4F9/2 → 6F9/2), and 1175 nm (4F9/2 → 6F7/2). Emission quantum yields of 1-2% were determined in aqueous solutions. The emission lifetimes indicate that no water molecules are present in the inner coordination sphere of Dy(III), which in the case of [Dy(CB-TE2PA)]+ was confirmed through the X-ray crystal structure. The 1H NMR paramagnetic shifts induced by Dy(III) were found to be dominated by the pseudocontact mechanism, though, for some protons, contact shifts are not negligible. The analysis of the pseudocontact shifts provided the magnetic susceptibility tensors of the three complexes, which were also investigated using CASSCF calculations. The transverse 1H relaxation data follow a good linear correlation with 1/r6, where r is the distance between the Dy(III) ion and the observed proton. This indicates that magnetic anisotropy is not significantly affecting the relaxation of 1H nuclei in the family of complexes investigated here.

Dynamic Magnetic Properties of Germole-ligated Lanthanide Sandwich Complexes

The first germole-ligated single-molecule magnets are reported, with contrasting properties found for the near-linear sandwich complexes [(η8 -COT)Ln(η5 -CpGe ]- , where Ln=Dy (1Dy ) or Er (1Er ), COT is cyclo-octatetraenyl and CpGe is [GeC4 -2,5-(SiMe3 )2 -3,4-Me2 ]2- . Whereas 1Er has an energy barrier of 120(1) cm-1 in zero applied field and open hysteresis loops up to 10 K, the relaxation in 1Dy is characterized by quantum tunneling within the ground state.

Post-synthetic thiol modification of covalent organic frameworks for mercury(II) removal from water

Various materials have been developed for environmental remediation of mercury ion pollution. Among these materials, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) can efficiently adsorb Hg(II) from water. Herein, two thiol-modified COFs (COF-S-SH and COF-OH-SH) were prepared, through the reaction between 2,5-divinylterephthalaldehyde and 1,3,5-tris-(4-aminophenyl)benzene, followed by post-synthetic modification using bis(2-mercaptoethyl) sulfide and dithiothreitol, respectively. The modified COFs showed excellent Hg(II) adsorption abilities with maximum adsorption capacities of 586.3 and 535.5 mg g^-1 for COF-S-SH and COF-OH-SH, respectively. The prepared materials showed excellent selective absorbability for Hg(II) against multiple cationic metals in water. Unexpectedly, the experimental data showed that both co-existing toxic anionic diclofenac sodium (DCF) and Hg(II) performed positive effect for capturing another pollutant by these two modified COFs. Thus, a synergistic adsorption mechanism between Hg(II) and DCF on COFs was proposed. Moreover, density functional theory calculations revealed that synergistic adsorption occurred between Hg(II) and DCF, which resulted in a significant reduction in the adsorption system's energy. This work highlights a new direction for application of COFs to simultaneous removal of heavy metals and co-existing organic pollutants from water.

Combined experimental and theoretical studies on a series of mononuclear LnIII single-molecule magnets: dramatic influence of remote substitution on the magnetic dynamics in Dy analogues

A series of Ln^III complexes of general formula [Ln(H₂L¹)₂(NO₃)₂(H₂O)](NO₃) (1-5) [Ln = Dy (1), Tb (2) Ho (3), Er (4), and Yb (5)] and an analogous Dy^III complex with ligand H₂L², [Dy(H₂L²)₂(NO₃)₃(H₂O)](NO₃) (6), where H₂L¹ and H₂L² stand for (E)-2-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)iminomethyl]-6-methoxy-4-methylphenol and (E)-2-[(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)iminomethyl]-6-methoxy-4-methylphenol, respectively, have been synthesized and magneto-structurally characterized. All these complexes are isostructural and isomorphous, in which the zwitterionic form of the ligands predominantly coordinate the metal centers. The magnetic study revealed that complex 3 displays negligible SMM behaviour, while 1 and 6 are zero field SMMs, the performance of which can largely be improved in the presence of an applied dc field by lowering under barrier relaxation processes, and finally 2, 4, and 5 are field-induced SMMs. The most remarkable observation in the present study is the dramatically-enhanced SMM performance in 6 compared to 1, achieved by only a remote methyl substitution at the ligand framework to increase the intermolecular separation. Although SINGLE_ANISO ab initio calculations for 1 and 6 are very similar, the POLY_ANISO module revealed weak dipolar interactions in both the compounds but significant antiferromagnetic interaction in 1, thereby justifying the experimental fact. The present work discloses that even a small substitution such as a methyl group can adequately increase the intermolecular separation, leading to several-fold enhanced effective energy barrier.

Ab Initio Investigation of the Na3[Ln(ODA)3]·2NaClO4·6H2O (Ln = Ce-Yb; ODA = Oxydiacetate) Series

In this work, the Na₃[Ln(ODA)₃]·2NaClO₄·6H₂O (Ln = Ce-Yb; ODA = oxydiacetate) series was analyzed with the ab initio ligand field theory (AILFT) module of the ORCA computational suite. The results were discussed within the framework of the angular overlap model (AOM) and compared to literature data. We find that the structural changes observed across the series exemplifies the effects of the lanthanide contraction also manifesting in the value of the AOM parameters. It is also shown that the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) methodology is sufficient to describe the ligand field interactions in mononuclear lanthanide complexes, and the effects of dynamic correlation, through n-electron valence state perturbation theory (NEVPT2), are discussed. The calculated ligand field parameters of the present work are compared to the experimentally derived values from the literature.

Computational insight into a mechanistic overview of water exchange kinetics and thermodynamic stabilities of bis and tris-aquated complexes of lanthanides

A thorough investigation of Ln³⁺ complexes with more than one inner-sphere water molecule is crucial for designing high relaxivity contrast agents (CAs) used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study accomplished a comparative stability analysis of two hexadentate (H₃cbda and H₃dpaa) and two heptadentate (H₄peada and H₃tpaa) ligands with Ln³⁺ ions. The higher stability of the hexadentate H₃cbda and heptadentate H₄peada ligands has been confirmed by the binding affinity and Gibbs free energy analysis in aqueous solution. In addition, energy decomposition analysis (EDA) reveals the higher binding affinity of the peada^4- ligand than the cbda^3- ligand towards Ln³⁺ ions due to the higher charge density of the peada^4- ligand. Moreover, a mechanistic overview of water exchange kinetics has been carried out based on the strength of the metal-water bond. The strength of the metal-water bond follows the trend Gd-O47 (w) > Gd-O39 (w) > Gd-O36 (w) in the case of the tris-aquated [Gd(cbda)(H₂O)₃] and Gd-O43 (w) > Gd-O40 (w) for the bis-aquated [Gd(peada)(H₂O)₂]^- complex, which was confirmed by bond length, electron density (ρ), and electron localization function (ELF) at the corresponding bond critical points. Our analysis also predicts that the activation energy barrier decreases with the decrease in bond strength; hence k _ex increases. The ¹⁷O and ¹H hyperfine coupling constant values of all the coordinated water molecules were different, calculated by using the second-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH2) approach. Furthermore, the ionic nature of the bonding in the metal-ligand (M-L) bond was confirmed by the Quantum Theory of Atoms-In-Molecules (QTAIM) and ELF along with energy decomposition analysis (EDA). We hope that the results can be used as a basis for the design of highly efficient Gd(iii)-based high relaxivity MRI contrast agents for medical applications.

Physico-Chemical Characterization of a Highly Rigid Gd(III) Complex Formed with a Phenanthroline Derivative Ligand

The discovery of the nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) and its link with the in vivo dissociation of certain Gd(III)-based contrast agents (CAs) applied in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) induced a still growing research to replace the compromised agents with safer alternatives. In recent years, several ligands were designed to exploit the luminescence properties of the lanthanides, containing structurally constrained aromatic moieties, which may form rigid Gd(III) complexes. One of these ligands is (1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diyl)bis(methyliminodiacetic acid) (H₄FENTA) designed and synthesized to sensitize Eu(III) and Tb(III) luminescence. Our results show that the conditional stability of the [Gd(FENTA)]^- chelate calculated for physiological pH (pGd = 19.7) is similar to those determined for [Gd(DTPA)]^2- (pGd = 19.4) and [Gd(DOTA)]^- (pGd = 20.1), routinely used in the clinical practice. The [Gd(FENTA)]^- complex is remarkably inert with respect to its dissociation (t_1/2 = 872 days at pH = 7 and 25 °C); furthermore, its relaxivity values determined at different field strengths and temperatures (e.g., r_1p = 4.3 mM^-1s^-1at 60 MHz and 37 °C) are ca. one unit higher than those of [Gd(DTPA)]^2- (r_1p = 3.4 mM^-1 s^-1) and [Gd(DOTA)]^- (r_1p = 3.1 mM^-1 s^-1) under the same conditions. Moreover, significant improvement on the relaxivity was observed in the presence of serum proteins (r_1p = 6.9 mM^-1 s^-1 at 60 MHz and 37 °C). The luminescence lifetimes recorded in H₂O and D₂O solutions indicate the presence of a water molecule (q = 1) in the inner sphere of the complex directly coordinated to the metal ion, possessing a relatively high water exchange rate (k_ex²⁹⁸ = 29(2) × 10⁶ s^-1). The acceleration of the water exchange can be explained by the steric compression around the water binding site due to the rigid structure of the complex, which was supported by DFT calculations. On the basis of these results, ligands containing a phenanthroline platform have great potential in the design of safer Gd(III) agents for MRI.

Hydration of divalent lanthanides, Sm2+ and Eu2+ : A molecular dynamics study with polarizable AMOEBA force field

The chemistry of divalent lanthanides, Ln2+ , is a growing sub-field of heavy element chemistry owing to new synthetic approaches. However, some theoretical aspects of these unusual cations are currently underdeveloped, especially as they relate to their dynamic properties in solution. In this work, we address the hydration of two of the classical Ln2+ cations, Sm2+ and Eu2+ , using atomic multipole optimized energetic for biomolecular applications (AMOEBA) force fields. These cations have not been parameterized to date with AMOEBA, and few studies are available because of their instability with respect to oxidation in aqueous media. Coordination numbers (CN's) of 8.2 and 8.1 respectively for Sm2+ and Eu2+ , and 8.8 for both Sm3+ and Eu3+ have been obtained and are in good agreement with the few available AIMD and X-ray absorption fine structures studies. The decreased CN of Ln2+ compared with Ln3+ arises from progressive water exchange events that indicates the gradual stabilization of 8-coordinate structures with respect to 9-coordinate geometries. Moreover, the effects of the chloride counter anions on the coordination of Ln2+ cations have been studied at different chloride concentrations in this work. Lastly, water exchange times of Ln2+ cations have been calculated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the behavior of Eu2+ and Sm2+ in aqueous chloride media.

Synthesis of carbazole-based dendritic conjugated polymer: a dual channel optical probe for the detection of I- and Hg2

A new type of carbazole-based blue-emitting dendritic conjugated polymer, poly[(9,9-dioctyl)-2,7-fluorene-co-4,4’,4”-triphenylamine-co-9-(4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl)-3,6-carbazole](P), was successfully synthesized by Suzuki coupling reaction. Chemical structures of monomers and polymer were verified by FI-IR and ¹HNMR characterizations. We found that polymer showed a special selectivity and high sensitivity for I⁻. With the addition of I⁻, the fluorescent polymer solution was obviously quenched. The polymer showed a special detection effect on I⁻. However, the fluorescent polymer was obviously restored when Hg²⁺ was added to the P/I⁻ system due to the large complexation between I⁻ and Hg²⁺. The anti-interference experiments of probe P/I⁻ showed that other background cations have a slight influence on detecting Hg²⁺, and the calculated detection limit of Hg²⁺ reached 9.7 × 10⁻⁸ M, which could be a potential application for a two-channel cyclic detection of I⁻ and Hg²⁺. Additionally, it was found that the theoretical values were in agreement with the experimental data.

The solution structures and relative stability constants of lanthanide-EDTA complexes predicted from computation

Ligand selectivity to specific lanthanide (Ln) ions is key to the separation of rare earth elements from each other. Ligand selectivity can be quantified with relative stability constants (measured experimentally) or relative binding energies (calculated computationally). The relative stability constants of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) with La3+, Eu3+, Gd3+, and Lu3+ were predicted from relative binding energies, which were quantified using electronic structure calculations with relativistic effects and based on the molecular structures of Ln-EDTA complexes in solution from density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations. The protonation state of an EDTA amine group was varied to study pH ∼7 and ∼11 conditions. Further, simulations at 25 °C and 90 °C were performed to elucidate how structures of Ln-EDTA complexes varying with temperature are related to complex stabilities at different pH conditions. Relative stability trends are predicted from computation for varying Ln3+ ions (La, Eu, Gd, Lu) with a single ligand (EDTA at pH ∼11), as well as for a single Ln3+ ion (La) with varying ligands (EDTA at pH ∼7 and ∼11). Changing the protonation state of an EDTA amine site significantly changes the solution structure of the Ln-EDTA complex resulting in a reduction of the complex stability. Increased Ln-ligand complex stability is correlated to reduced structural variations in solution upon an increase in temperature.

Comparison between DySc2N@C80 and Dy2ScN@C80 single-molecule magnetic metallofullerenes encapsulated in single-wall carbon nanotubes

Encapsulation of a metallofullerene single-molecule magnet, Dy₂ScN@C₈₀, into single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) accelerates magnetic relaxation processes. In contrast, encapsulation of DySc₂N@C₈₀ suppresses them. The effects of the encapsulation are discussed in terms of intermolecular magnetic interactions and charge transfer among metallofullerenes and SWCNTs.

Rigidified Derivative of the Non-macrocyclic Ligand H4OCTAPA for Stable Lanthanide(III) Complexation

The stability constants of lanthanide complexes with the potentially octadentate ligand CHXOCTAPA^4–, which contains a rigid 1,2-diaminocyclohexane scaffold functionalized with two acetate and two picolinate pendant arms, reveal the formation of stable complexes [log K_LaL = 17.82(1) and log K_YbL = 19.65(1)]. Luminescence studies on the Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ analogues evidenced rather high emission quantum yields of 3.4 and 11%, respectively. The emission lifetimes recorded in H₂O and D₂O solutions indicate the presence of a water molecule coordinated to the metal ion. ¹H nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion profiles and ¹⁷O NMR chemical shift and relaxation measurements point to a rather low water exchange rate of the coordinated water molecule (k_ex²⁹⁸ = 1.58 × 10⁶ s^–1) and relatively high relaxivities of 5.6 and 4.5 mM^–1 s^–1 at 20 MHz and 25 and 37 °C, respectively. Density functional theory calculations and analysis of the paramagnetic shifts induced by Yb³⁺ indicate that the complexes adopt an unprecedented cis geometry with the two picolinate groups situated on the same side of the coordination sphere. Dissociation kinetics experiments were conducted by investigating the exchange reactions of LuL occurring with Cu²⁺. The results confirmed the beneficial effect of the rigid cyclohexyl group on the inertness of the Lu³⁺ complex. Complex dissociation occurs following proton- and metal-assisted pathways. The latter is relatively efficient at neutral pH, thanks to the formation of a heterodinuclear hydroxo complex.

A non-macrocyclic ligand containing a rigid cyclohexyl spacer forms thermodynamically stable complexes with the lanthanide(III) ions in aqueous solution. The complexes also show remarkable kinetic inertness, though a structural change facilitates dissociation through the metal-assisted mechanism for the small lanthanides. The Gd(III) complex displays a relatively high relaxivity due to the presence of a water molecule coordinated to the metal ion, while the Eu(III) and Tb(III) analogues display strong metal-centered luminescence.

Exploiting the Fluxionality of Lanthanide Complexes in the Design of Paramagnetic Fluorine Probes

Fluorine-19 MRI is increasingly being considered as a tool for biomolecular imaging, but the very poor sensitivity of this technique has limited most applications. Previous studies have long established that increasing the sensitivity of ¹⁹F molecular probes requires increasing the number of fluorine nuclei per probe as well as decreasing their longitudinal relaxation time. The latter is easily achieved by positioning the fluorine atoms in close proximity to a paramagnetic metal ion such as a lanthanide(III). Increasing the number of fluorine atoms per molecule, however, is only useful inasmuch as all of the fluorine nuclei are chemically equivalent. Previous attempts to achieve this equivalency have focused on designing highly symmetric and rigid fluorinated macrocyclic ligands. A much simpler approach consists of exploiting highly fluxional lanthanide complexes with open coordination sites that have a high affinity for phosphated and phosphonated species. Computational studies indicate that Ln^III-TREN-MAM is highly fluxional, rapidly interconverting between at least six distinct isomers. In neutral water at room temperature, Ln^III-TREN-MAM binds two or three equivalents of fluorinated phosphonates. The close proximity of the ¹⁹F nuclei to the Ln^III center in the ternary complex decreases the relaxation times of the fluorine nuclei up to 40-fold. Advantageously, the fluorophosphonate-bound lanthanide complex is also highly fluxional such that all ¹⁹F nuclei are chemically equivalent and display a single ¹⁹F signal with a small LIS. Dynamic averaging of fluxional fluorinated supramolecular assemblies thus produces effective ¹⁹F MR systems.

Ionization Energies and Redox Potentials of Hydrated Transition Metal Ions: Evaluation of Domain-Based Local Pair Natural Orbital Coupled Cluster Approaches

Hydrated transition metal ions are prototypical systems that can be used to model properties of transition metals in complex chemical environments. These seemingly simple systems present challenges for computational chemistry and are thus crucial in evaluations of quantum chemical methods for spin-state and redox energetics. In this work, we explore the applicability of the domain-based pair natural orbital implementation of coupled cluster (DLPNO-CC) theory to the calculation of ionization energies and redox potentials for hydrated ions of all first transition row (3d) metals in the 2+/3+ oxidation states, in connection with various solvation approaches. In terms of model definition, we investigate the construction of a minimally explicitly hydrated quantum cluster with a first and second hydration layer. We report on the convergence with respect to the coupled cluster expansion and the PNO space, as well as on the role of perturbative triple excitations. A recent implementation of the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) for the DLPNO-CC approach is employed to determine self-consistent redox potentials at the coupled cluster level. Our results establish conditions for the convergence of DLPNO-CCSD(T) energetics and stress the absolute necessity to explicitly consider the second solvation sphere even when CPCM is used. The achievable accuracy for redox potentials of a practical DLPNO-based approach is, on average, 0.13 V. Furthermore, multilayer approaches that combine a higher-level DLPNO-CCSD(T) description of the first solvation sphere with a lower-level description of the second solvation layer are investigated. The present work establishes optimal and transferable methodological choices for employing DLPNO-based coupled cluster theory, the associated CPCM implementation, and cost-efficient multilayer derivatives of the approach for open-shell transition metal systems in complex environments.

Extreme -Tensor Anisotropy and Its Insensitivity to Structural Distortions in a Family of Linear Two-Coordinate Ni(I) Bis-N-heterocyclic Carbene Complexes

We report a new series of homoleptic Ni(I) bis-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes with a range of torsion angles between the two ligands from 68° to 90°. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements revealed a strongly anisotropic g-tensor in all complexes with a small variation in g_∥ ∼ 5.7-5.9 and g_⊥ ∼ 0.6. The energy of the first excited state identified by variable-field far-infrared magnetic spectroscopy and SOC-CASSCF/NEVPT2 calculations is in the range 270-650 cm^-1. Magnetic relaxation measured by alternating current susceptibility up to 10 K is dominated by Raman and direct processes. Ab initio ligand-field analysis reveals that a torsion angle of <90° causes the splitting between doubly occupied d_xz and d_yz orbitals, which has little effect on the magnetic properties, while the temperature dependence of the magnetic relaxation appears to have no correlation with the torsion angle.

Three angular Zn2Dy complexes showing the effect of remote coordination at Zn and counter ions on slow magnetic relaxation at Dy centres

Three isostructural Zn2Dy complexes displaying the effect of remote coordination at Zn and counter ions on slow magnetic relaxation at Dy centres.

The critical role of ligand topology: strikingly different properties of Gd(iii) complexes with regioisomeric AAZTA derivatives

Two regioisomeric Gd(III) complexes with heptadentate AAZTA-like ligands show different hydration state (q = 1 and 2) and astonishingly different thermodynamic stability and dissociation kinetics.

Manipulating the spin crossover behaviour in a series of cyanide-bridged {FeIII2FeII2} molecular squares through NCE- co-ligands

Manipulating the transition temperature (T1/2) of spin-crossover (SCO) complexes capable of fulfilling practical criteria through different synthetic strategies is one of the main focuses in the field of molecular magnetism....

A dysprosium single molecule magnet outperforming current pseudocontact shift agents

A common criterion for designing performant single molecule magnets and pseudocontact shift tags is a large magnetic anisotropy. In this article we present a dysprosium complex chemically designed to exhibit strong easy-axis type magnetic anisotropy that is preserved in dichloromethane solution at room temperature. Our detailed theoretical and experimental studies on the magnetic properties allowed explaining several features typical of highly performant SMMs. Moreover, the NMR characterization shows remarkably large chemical shifts, outperforming the current state-of-the art PCS tags.

A robust dysprosium(iii) single molecule magnet with large uniaxial magnetic anisotropy induces pseudocontact shifts at almost doubled distance compared to standard shift agents.

Understanding the Magnetic Anisotropy for Linear Sandwich [Er(COT)]+-based Compounds: A Theoretical Investigation

A series of linear sandwich single-ion magnets containing [Er(COT)]+ fragment were selected to probe the magneto-structural correlations using ab initio methods. For prolate shaped ErIII ion, an equatorially coordinating geometry...

Influence of bridging and chelating co-ligands on the distinct single-molecule magnetic behaviours in ZnDy complexes

Four ZnDy complexes display an effect of bridging/chelating co-ligands on distinct single-molecule magnetic behaviours, relaxing through single to multi relaxation channels.

The first exploration of coordination chemistry using a methyl substituted o-vanillin based ligand: an example starting with Dy4/Zn2Dy2 systems displaying slow relaxation of magnetization

Two butterfly-shaped Dy4 and Zn2Dy2 complexes displaying slow relaxation of magnetization have been synthesized from a new methyl substituted o-vanillin based ligand, enlarging the scope for finding better SMMs.

Spontaneous N2 formation by a diruthenium complex enables electrocatalytic and aerobic oxidation of ammonia

The electrochemical conversion of ammonia to dinitrogen in a direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) is a necessary technology for the realization of a nitrogen economy. Previous efforts to catalyse this reaction with molecular complexes required the addition of exogenous oxidizing reagents or application of potentials greater than the thermodynamic potential for the oxygen reduction reaction-the cathodic process of a DAFC. We report a stable metal-metal bonded diruthenium complex that spontaneously produces dinitrogen from ammonia under ambient conditions. The resulting reduced diruthenium material can be reoxidized with oxygen for subsequent reactions with ammonia, demonstrating its ability to spontaneously promote both half-reactions necessary for a DAFC. The diruthenium complex also acts as a redox mediator for the electrocatalytic oxidation of ammonia to dinitrogen at potentials as low as -255 mV versus Fc^0/+ and operates below the oxygen reduction reaction potential in alkaline conditions, thus achieving a thermodynamic viability relevant for the future development of DAFCs.

3d-4f magnetic exchange interactions and anisotropy in a series of heterobimetallic vanadium(IV)-lanthanide(III) Schiff base complexes

A series of heterobimetallic Ln^III-V^IV compounds [Ln(VO)L(NO₃)₃(H₂O)] (Ln = Gd(1), Tb(2), Dy(3), and Er(4)) assembled by a Schiff base ligand (H₂L = N,N'-bis(1-hydroxy-2-benzylidene-6-methoxy)-1,7-diamino-4-azaheptane) were prepared and studied with experimental and theoretical methods. The single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed the change of the coordination number from 10 found in 1-3 to 9 confirmed in 4. The DC magnetic data were fit with several Hamiltonians to extract the exchange and anisotropy parameters of complexes 1-4. This investigation of magnetic properties was carried out using both DFT and CASSCF theoretical calculations. It was found out that exchange interactions in 1, 3 and 4 are antiferromagnetic, while 2 has ferromagnetic exchange interactions. Moreover, the AC susceptibility measurements revealed the field-induced slow relaxation of magnetization in complexes 2 and 3 which is complicated by the presence of three relaxation channels. Nevertheless, these compounds belong to the first Tb^III-V^IV and Dy^III-V^IV single-molecule magnets in this class of compounds.

Property-optimized Gaussian basis sets for lanthanides

Property-optimized Gaussian basis sets of split-valence, triple-zeta valence, and quadruple-zeta valence quality are developed for the lanthanides Ce-Lu for use with small-core relativistic effective core potentials. They are constructed in a systematic fashion by augmenting def2 orbital basis sets with diffuse basis functions and minimizing negative static isotropic polarizabilities of lanthanide atoms with respect to basis set exponents within the unrestricted Hartree-Fock method. The basis set quality is assessed using a test set of 70 molecules containing the lanthanides in their common oxidation states and f electron occupations. 5d orbital occupation turns out to be the determining factor for the basis set convergence of polarizabilities in lanthanide atoms and the molecular test set. Therefore, two series of property-optimized basis sets are defined. The augmented def2-SVPD, def2-TZVPPD, and def2-QZVPPD basis sets balance the accuracy of polarizabilities across lanthanide oxidation states. The relative errors in atomic and molecular polarizability calculations are ≤8% for augmented split-valence basis sets, ≤ 2.5% for augmented triple-zeta valence basis sets, and ≤1% for augmented quadruple-zeta valence basis sets. In addition, extended def2-TZVPPDD and def2-QZVPPDD are provided for accurate calculations of lanthanide atoms and neutral clusters. The property-optimized basis sets developed in this work are shown to accurately reproduce electronic absorption spectra of a series of LnCp₃ ^'- complexes (Cp' = C₅H₄SiMe₃, Ln = Ce-Nd, Sm) with time-dependent density functional theory.