cis-2,2'-Bipyrimidine-bridged polynuclear complex: a stairway-like mixed-valent {Fe(4)} cluster

Tuning Dimensions of Complexes through Selective In Situ Reaction, Mechanistic Insights into Ni(II)-Catalyzed Br-OH Exchange, Magnetic Properties, and Density Functional Theory Studies

Two coordination polymers (CPs), namely, [Mn₃(L)₂(4,4'-bipy)₂(H₂O)₂]_n (1) and [Ni(L₁)(1,4-bib)(H₂O)]_n (2) (H₃L = 5-(3-bromo-4-carboxyphenoxy)isophthalic acid, H₂L₁ = 5-(3-hydroxyphenoxy)isophthalic acid, 4,4'-bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine, and 1,4-bib = 1,4-bis(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzene), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Most notably, with the help of the bromine atom-inducing effect, ligand transformation was observed in the structure of complex 2, which was scrutinized thoroughly by single crystal X-ray crystallography and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Strikingly, Ni(II) ions were utilized as both coordinated atoms and as a catalyst for in situ Br-OH exchange of H₃L in the process, as a result of which the product would have preferred to form a one-dimensional chain. The same reaction cannot happen in 1, leading to form a two-dimensional structure. Moreover, Ni(II)-catalyzed and magnetic exchange mechanisms were well interpreted using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Finally, complexes 1-2 show three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular structures because of intermolecular weak interactions (C-Br···π, C-H···π, C-H···O, and π···π stacking) and exhibit utterly different antiferrimagnetic coupling interactions.

Counter-complementarity control of the weak exchange interaction in a bent {Ni(ii)3} complex with a μ-phenoxide-μ-carboxylate double bridge

We report a combined computational and experimental study of a weak exchange interaction in a bent {Ni(ii)₃} complex controlled by counter-complementarity.

Halide coordinated homoleptic [Fe4S4X4](2-) and heteroleptic [Fe4S4X2Y2](2-) clusters (X, Y = Cl, Br, I)--alternative preparations, structural analogies and spectroscopic properties in solution and solid state

New facile methods to prepare iron sulphur halide clusters [Fe4S4X4](2-) from [Fe(CO)5] and elemental sulphur were elaborated. Reactions of ferrous precursors like tetrahalidoferrates(ii) or simple ferrous halides with [Fe(CO)5] and sulphur turned out to be efficient methods to prepare homoleptic [Fe4S4X4](2-) (X = Cl, Br) and heteroleptic clusters [Fe4S4X4-nYn](2-) (X = Cl, Br; Y = Br, I). Solid materials were obtained as salts of BTMA(+) (= benzyltrimethylammonium); the new compounds containing [Fe4S4Br4](2-) and [Fe4S4X2Y2](2-) (X, Y = Cl, Br, I) were all isostructural to (BTMA)2[Fe4S4I4] (monoclinic, Cc) as inferred from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. While the solid materials contain defined heteroleptic clusters with a halide X : Y ratio of 2 : 2, dissolving these compounds leads to rapid scrambling of the halide ligands forming mixtures of all five possible [Fe4S4X4-nYn](2-) clusters as could be shown by UHR-ESI MS. The variation of X and Y allowed assignment of the absorption bands in the visible and NIR; the long-wavelength bands around 1100 nm were tentatively assigned to intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transitions.

Role of dicarboxylate linkers in Mn(III)-salicylaldoximate based extended structures: synthesis, structures, and magnetic behavior

Four new oxo-centered Mn(III)-salicylaldoximate triangle-based extended complexes [Mn(III)6O2(salox)6(EtOH)4(phda)]n·(saloxH2)n·(2H2O)n (1), [Mn(III)6O2(salox)6(MeOH)5(5-I-isoph)]n·(3MeOH)n (2), [Mn(III)6O2(salox)6(MeOH)4(H2O) (5-N3-isoph)]n·(4MeOH)n (3) and [Mn(III)3NaO(salox)3(MeOH)4(5-NO2-isoph)]n·(MeOH)n (H2O)n (4) [salox=salicylaldoximate, phda=1,3-phenylenediacetate, isoph=isophthalate] have been synthesized under similar reaction conditions. Single crystal X-ray structures show that in 1, only one type of Mn6 cluster is arranged in 1D, whereas in 2 and 3 there are two types of clusters, differing in the way the triangle units are joined and assembled. In complex 4, however, the basic building structure is heteronuclear and based on Mn3 units extended in 2D. Susceptibility measurements (dc and ac) over a wide range of temperatures and fields show that the complexes 1, 2, and 3 behave as single molecule magnets (SMMs) with S=4 ground state, while 4 is dominantly antiferromagnetic with a ground spin state S=2. Density functional theory calculations have been performed on model complexes to provide a qualitative theoretical interpretation for their overall magnetic behavior.

First one-dimensional homochiral stairway-like Cu(II) chains: crystal structures, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, ferroelectricity and antiferromagnetic properties

The reactions of enantiopure chiral ligands (+)/(−)-4,5-pinenepyridyl-2-pyrazine (LS/LR) with CuCl2·2H2O in CH3OH/CH2Cl2 solution led to the formations of one-dimensional homochiral enantiomeric pairs with the formula [Cu(LR/S)Cl2]n·2H2O (R-1 and S-1, the isomers containing the LR and LS ligands, respectively). The circular dichroism (CD) spectra verified their chiroptical activities and enantiomeric natures. Their structures have been determined by X-ray single-crystal analyses, showing stairway-like and mirror-symmetric features, which represent the first examples of homochiral metal complexes with stairway-like structures. The ferroelectric property measurement indicated that R-1 exhibits ferroelectricity with the remnant polarization (Pr) value of 0.02 μC cm−2 under an applied electric field of 6.1 kV cm−1 at room temperature. The magnetic investigation of R-1 showed a weak intrachain antiferromagnetic coupling between Cu(II)–Cu(II) ions mediated by pyrazine, which can be interpreted by a spin-polarization mechanism. All these results suggested that R-1 and S-1 are potential multifunctional molecule-based materials combining optical activity, ferroelectricity and magnetism within one molecule.