Aqua Ions. 2. Structural manifestations of the Jahn-Teller effect in the beta-alums

Electronic Structure and Magnetic Properties of a Titanium(II) Coordination Complex

Stable coordination complexes of Ti^II (3d²) are relatively uncommon, but are of interest as synthons for low oxidation state titanium complexes for application as potential catalysts and reagents for organic synthesis. Specifically, high-spin Ti^II ions supported by redox-inactive ligands are still quite rare due to the reducing power of this soft ion. Among such Ti^II complexes is trans-[TiCl₂(tmeda)₂], where tmeda = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethane-1,2-diamine. This complex was first reported by Gambarotta and co-workers almost 30 years ago, but it was not spectroscopically characterized and theoretical investigation by quantum chemical theory (QCT) was not feasible at that time. As part of our interest in low oxidation state early transition metal complexes, we have revisited this complex and report a modified synthesis and a low temperature (100 K) crystal structure that differs slightly from that originally reported at ambient temperature. We have used magnetometry, high-frequency and -field EPR (HFEPR), and variable-temperature variable-field magnetic circular dichroism (VTVH-MCD) spectroscopies to characterize trans-[TiCl₂(tmeda)₂]. These techniques yield the following S = 1 spin Hamiltonian parameters for the complex: D = -5.23(1) cm^-1, E = -0.88(1) cm^-1, (E/D = 0.17), g = [1.86(1), 1.94(2), 1.77(1)]. This information, in combination with electronic transitions from MCD, was used as input for both classical ligand-field theory (LFT) and detailed QCT studies, the latter including both density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio methods. These computational methods are seldom applied to paramagnetic early transition metal complexes, particularly those with S > 1/2. Our studies provide a complete picture of the electronic structure of this complex that can be put into context with the few other high-spin and mononuclear Ti^II species characterized to date.

Theory of High-Spin d(4) Complexes: An Angular-Overlap Model Parametrization of the Ligand Field in Vibronic-Coupling Calculations

A new theoretical approach for the calculation of the electronic and molecular structures of octahedrally-coordinated high-spin d(4) complexes is described. A prescription for the construction of an effective (3)T1 + (5)E (O) Hamiltonian from the ligand-field matrices of a complex with general trigonal symmetry is given, where the ligand field is parametrized in terms of the angular-overlap model (AOM). The Jahn-Teller matrices for the (3)T1 + ((5)E⊗e) vibronic Hamiltonian are constructed and the lowest eigenvalues are calculated by a numerical method. The model obviates the need to assume a temperature dependence of bonding parameters, inherent to the conventional ligand-field-theory approach and is applicable over the whole range of vibronic-coupling strengths, as demonstrated by example calculations on the [Mn(OD2)6](3+) cation and MgO:Cr(2+).

Neutron diffraction structures of water in crystalline hydrates of metal salts

Neutron diffraction structures of water molecules in crystalline hydrates of metal salts have been collected from the literature up to December 2011. Statistical methods were used to investigate the influence on the water structures of the position and nature of hydrogen bond acceptors and cations coordinated to the water oxygen. For statistical modelling the data were pruned so that only structures with oxygen as hydrogen acceptors, single hydrogen bonds, and no more than two metals or hydrogens coordinated to the water oxygen were included. Multiple linear regression models were fitted with the water OH bond length and bond angle as response variables. Other variables describing the position and nature of the acceptors and ions coordinated to the waters were taken as explanatory variables. These variables were sufficient to give good models for the bond lengths and angles. There were sufficient structures involving coordinated Mg(2+) or Cu(2+) for a separate statistical modelling to be done for these cases.

Reactive N-protonated isocyanate species stabilized by bis(μ-hydroxo)divanadium(IV)-substituted polyoxometalate

O- or N-protonated? The bis(μ-hydroxo)divanadium(IV)-substituted γ-Keggin-type polyoxometalate (see picture, left) (TBA)(4)[γ-SiV(IV)(2)W(10)O(36)(μ-OH)(4)] (TBA = tetra(n-butyl)ammonium) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Its reaction with phenyl isocyanate gave (TBA)(4)[γ-SiV(IV)(2)W(10)O(38)(μ-OH)(2)(PhNHCO)(2)], which contains two N-protonated phenyl isocyanate species and catalyzes the cyclotrimerization of phenyl isocyanate.

Systematic theoretical study of the zero-field splitting in coordination complexes of Mn(III). Density functional theory versus multireference wave function approaches

This paper presents a detailed evaluation of the performance of density functional theory (DFT) as well as complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF)-based methods (CASSCF and second-order N-electron valence state perturbation theory, NEVPT2) to predict the zero-field splitting (zfs) parameters for a series of coordination complexes containing the Mn(III) ion. The physical origin of the experimentally determined zfs's was investigated by studying the different contributions to these parameters. To this end, a series of mononuclear Mn(III) complexes was chosen for which the structures have been resolved by X-ray diffraction and the zfs parameters have been accurately determined by high-field EPR spectroscopy. In a second step, small models have been constructed to allow for a systematic assessment of the factors that dominate the variations in the observed zfs parameters and to establish magnetostructural correlations. Among the tested functionals, the best predictions have been obtained with B3LYP, followed by the nonhybrid BP86 functional, which in turn is more successful than the meta-hybrid GGA functional TPSSh. For the estimation of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) part of the zfs, it was found that the coupled perturbed SOC approach CP is more successful than the Pederson-Khanna method. Concerning the spin-spin interaction (SS), the restricted open-shell Kohn-Sham (ROKS) approach led to a slightly better agreement with the experiment than the unrestricted KS (UKS) approach. The ab initio state-averaged CASSCF (SA-CASSCF) method with a minimal active space and the most recent implementation that treats the SOC and SS contributions on an equal footing provides the best predictions for the zfs. The analysis demonstrates that the major contribution to the axial zfs parameter (D) originates from the SOC interaction but that the SS part is far from being negligible (between 10 and 20% of D). Importantly, the various excited triplet ligand field states account for roughly half of the value of D, contrary to popular ligand field models. Despite covering dynamic correlation contributions to the transition energies, NEVPT2 does not lead to large improvements in the results as the excitation energies of the Mn(III) d-d transitions are already fairly accurate at the SA-CASSCF level. For a given type of coordination sphere (e.g., elongated or compressed octahedron), the magnetic anisotropy of the Mn(III) ion, D, does not appear to be highly sensitive to the nature of the ligands, while the E/D ratio is notably affected by all octahedral distortions. Furthermore, the introduction of different halides into the coordination sphere of Mn(III) only leads to small effects on D. Nevertheless, it appears that oxygen-based ligands afford larger D values than nitrogen-based ligands.

Spectroscopic, Magnetochemical, and Crystallographic Study of Cesium Iron Phosphate Hexahydrate: Characterization of the Electronic Structure of the Iron(II) Hexa-aqua Cation in a Quasicubic Environment

Spectroscopic, magnetochemical, and crystallographic data are presented for CsFe(H2O)6PO4, a member of a little-known isomorphous series of salts that facilitates the study of hexa-aqua ions in a quasicubic environment. Above 120 K, the deviations from cubic symmetry are minimal, as shown by the first example of an iron(II) Mössbauer spectrum that exhibits no measurable quadrupole splitting. Two crystallographically distinct [Fe(OH2)6]2+ complexes are identified from inelastic neutron-scattering (INS) experiments conducted between 2 and 15 K. The data are modeled with the ligand-field Hamiltonian, H = lambdaLŝ + betaB(kL + 2ŝ) + Delta(tet){Lz2 - (1/3)L(L + 1)} + Delta(rhom){Lx2 - Ly2}, operating in the ground-term (5)T(2g) (Oh) basis. An excellent reproduction of INS, Mössbauer, HF-EPR, and magnetochemical data are obtained in the 2 and 15 K temperature regimes with the following parameters: lambda = -80 cm(-1); k = 0.8; site A Delta(tet) = 183 cm(-1), Delta(rhom)= 19 cm(-1); site B Delta(tet) = 181 cm(-1), Delta(rhom)= 12 cm(-1). The corresponding zero-field-splitting (ZFS) parameters of the conventional S = 2 spin Hamiltonian are as follows: site A D = 12.02 cm(-)(1), E = 2.123 cm(-1); site B D = 12.15 cm(-1), E = 1.37 cm(-1). A theoretical analysis of the variation of the energies of the low-lying states with respect to displacements along selected normal coordinates of the [Fe(OH2)6]2+, shows the zero-field splitting to be extremely sensitive to small structural perturbations of the complex. The expressions derived are discussed in the context of spin-Hamiltonian parameters reported for the [Fe(OH2)6]2+ cation in different crystalline environments.

Structural systematics of the [Cu(chelate)3][Y]2series. An interesting crystallographic structural insight involving vibronic coupling and the Jahn–Teller effect (JTE). The syntheses and low temperature crystal structures of tris(2,2′bipyridyl)copper(ii) tetraphenylborate and tris(2,2′bipyridyl)zinc(ii) tetraphenylborate

The crystal structures of [Cu(bipy)(3)][BPh(4)](2), 1, and [Zn(bipy)(3)][BPh(4)](2), have been determined at low temperature. 1 and 2 are closely related, but are not isostructural. Both contain a two-dimensional supramolecular construct (SC) involving a sandwich structure. 1 has a six-coordinate CuN(6) chromophore with a regular elongated octahedral stereochemistry and rhombic in-plane bond lengths. The associated tetragonality value, T, of 1 is 0.8868. 2 involves a six-coordinate octahedral chromophore. Differences between 1 and 2 relate to the tendency of copper(II) complexes to undergo a Jahn-Teller (JT) distortion. The zinc(II) cation feels solely the host site strain, whereas the copper(II) cation also involves vibronic JT type coupling. The copper polyhedron geometry is characterized by both phenomena, with the vibronic interaction dominating. Scatter plot analysis involving the tris-chelate copper(II) series suggests that neither pure Q(theta) or Q(epsilon) components or the a(2u) mode operate in isolation over the entire series. All three operate in combination with varying quantifiable contributions, leading to distortion from the regular tetragonal octahedral stereochemistry.

High-frequency/high-field EPR spectroscopy of the high-spin ferrous ion in hexaaqua complexes

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at conventional magnetic fields and microwave frequencies, respectively, B0 < or = 1.5 T, nu < or = 35 GHz, has been widely applied to odd electron-number (S = 1/2) transition metal complexes. This technique is less successfully applied to high-spin systems that have even electron configurations, e.g. Fe2+ (S = 2). The recently developed technique of high-frequency and high-field EPR (HFEPR), employing swept fields up to 25 T combined with multiple, sub-THz frequencies readily allows observation of EPR transitions in such high-spin systems. A parallel spectroscopic technique is frequency-domain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (FDMRS), in which the frequency is swept while at zero, or at discrete applied magnetic fields. We describe here the application of HFEPR and FDMRS to two simple high-spin (HS) ferrous (Fe2+) salts: ferrous perchlorate hydrate, [Fe(H2O)6](ClO4)2 and (NH4)2[Fe(H2O)6](SO4)2, historically known as ferrous ammonium sulfate. Both compounds contain hexaaquairon(II). The resulting spectra were analyzed using a spin Hamiltonian for S = 2 to yield highly accurate spin-Hamiltonian parameters. The complexes were also studied by powder DC magnetic susceptibility and zero-field Mössbauer effect spectroscopy for corroboration of magnetic resonance results. In the case of [Fe(H2O)6](ClO4)2, all the magnetic techniques were in excellent agreement and gave as consensus values: D = 11.2(2) cm(-1), E = 0.70(1) cm(-1). For (NH4)2[Fe(H2O)6](SO4)2, FDMRS and HFEPR gave D = 14.94(2) cm(-1), E = 3.778(2) cm(-1). We conclude that the spin-Hamiltonian parameters for the perchlorate best represent those for the isolated hexaaquairon(II) complex. To have established electronic parameters for the fundamentally important [Fe(H2O)6]2+ ion will be of use for future studies on biologically relevant systems containing high-spin Fe2+.

Temperature Dependence of the Crystal Structure and g-Values of [(HC(Ph2PO)3)2Cu](ClO4)2·2H2O: Influence of Dynamic Jahn−Teller Coupling and Lattice Strain Interactions

The temperature dependence of the X-ray crystal structure and powder EPR spectrum of [(HC(Ph(2)PO)(3))(2)Cu](ClO(4))(2).2H(2)O is reported, and the structure at room temperature confirms that reported previously. Below approximately 100 K, the data imply a geometry with near elongated tetragonal symmetry for the [(HC(Ph(2)PO)(3))(2)Cu](2+) complex, but on warming the two higher Cu-O bond lengths and g-values progressively converge, and by 340 K the bond lengths correspond to a compressed tetragonal geometry. The data may be interpreted satisfactorily assuming an equilibrium among the energy levels of a Cu-O(6) polyhedron subjected to Jahn-Teller vibronic coupling and a lattice strain. However, agreement with the experiment is obtained only if the orthorhombic component of the lattice strain decreases to a negligible value as the temperature approaches 340 K.

Structure and bonding of the vanadium(III) hexa-aqua cation. 1. Experimental characterization and ligand-field analysis

Spectroscopic and crystallographic data are presented for salts containing the [V(OH(2))(6)](3+) cation, providing a rigorous test of the ability of the angular overlap model (AOM) to inter-relate the electronic and molecular structure of integer-spin complexes. High-field multifrequency EPR provides a very precise definition of the ground-state spin-Hamiltonian parameters, while single-crystal absorption measurements enable the energies of excited ligand-field states to be identified. The EPR study of vanadium(III) as an impurity in guanidinium gallium sulfate is particularly instructive, with fine-structure observed attributable to crystallographically distinct [V(OH(2))(6)](3+) cations, hyperfine coupling, and ferroelectric domains. The electronic structure of the complex depends strongly on the mode of coordination of the water molecules to the vanadium(III) cation, as revealed by single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction measurements, and is also sensitive to the isotopic abundance. It is shown that the AOM gives a very good account of the change in the electronic structure, as a function of geometric coordinates of the [V(OH(2))(6)](3+) cation. However, the ligand-field analysis is inconsistent with the profiles of electronic transitions between ligand-field terms.

Structure and Bonding of the Vanadium(III) Hexa-Aqua Cation. 2. Manifestation of Dynamical Jahn−Teller Coupling in Axially Distorted Vanadium(III) Complexes

Ground-state spin-Hamiltonian parameters, magnetic data, and electronic Raman spectra of hexacoordinate vanadium(III) complexes are calculated with consideration to the ((3)A (3)E) e vibronic interaction and compared to experimental data. It is shown that the zero-field-splitting of the (3)A(g) (S(6)) ground term may be reduced significantly by the dynamical Jahn-Teller effect, particularly when the pi-anisotropy of the metal-ligand bonding interaction is significant, and the energy of the Jahn-Teller active vibration is comparable to the diagonal axial field. The dynamical Jahn-Teller effect may also give rise to a significant enhancement in the Raman intensity of overtones and higher harmonics of Jahn-Teller active vibrations, when the energies of these transitions fall in the proximity of intra-(3)T(1g) (O(h)) electronic Raman transitions. A simple method of conducting vibronic coupling calculations is described, employing ligand field matrices generated by angular overlap model calculations, which may in principle be applied to any transition metal complex.

High-Field, Multifrequency EPR Study of the [Mn(OH2)6]3+ Cation: Influence of π-Bonding on the Ground State Zero-Field-Splitting Parameters

High-field, multifrequency EPR data are presented for the alum CsMn(SO4)2.12D2O, containing the [Mn(OD2)6](3+) cation. The data are interpreted using the conventional S=2 spin Hamiltonian, and the following parameters determined for the data obtained below 30 K: D=-4.491(7) cm(-1), E=0.248(5) cm(-1), gx=1.981(5), gy=1.993(5), gz=1.988(5). Although the deviation of the MnO6 framework from idealized D(4h) symmetry is small, the magnitude of E/D is significant. The E parameter is related to ligand field parameters derived from the optical absorption spectrum. The rhombic anisotropy is shown to arise as a consequence of the pi-anisotropic nature of the manganese(III)-water interaction.

Low-Temperature Single-Crystal Raman and Neutron-Diffraction Study of the Hydrogenous Ammonium Copper(II) Tutton Salt and the Deuterated Analogue in the Metastable State

Low-temperature (15 K) single-crystal neutron-diffraction structures and Raman spectra of the salts (NX4)2[Cu(OX2)6](SO4)2, where X=H or D, are reported. This study is concerned with the origin of the structural phase change that is known to occur upon deuteration. Data for the deuterated salt were measured in the metastable state, achieved by application of 500 bar of hydrostatic pressure at approximately 303 K followed by cooling to 281 K and the subsequent release of pressure. This allows for the direct comparison between the hydrogenous and deuterated salts, in the same modification, at ambient pressure and low temperature. The Raman spectra provide no intimation of any significant change in the intermolecular bonding. Furthermore, structural differences are few, the largest being for the long Cu-O bond, which is 2.2834(5) and 2.2802(4) A for the hydrogenous and the deuterated salts, respectively. Calorimetric data for the deuterated salt are also presented, providing an estimate of 0.17(2) kJ/mol for the enthalpy difference between the two structural forms at 295.8(5) K. The structural data suggest that substitution of hydrogen for deuterium gives rise to changes in the hydrogen-bonding interactions that result in a slightly reduced force field about the copper(II) center. The small structural differences suggest different relative stabilities for the hydrogenous and deuterated salts, which may be sufficient to stabilize the hydrogenous salt in the anomalous structural form.