Trinuclear Terpyridine Frustrated Spin System with a MnIV3O4 Core: Synthesis, Physical Characterization, and Quantum Chemical Modeling of Its Magnetic Properties

Comprehensive Evaluation of Models for Ammonia Binding to the Oxygen Evolving Complex of Photosystem II

The identity and insertion pathway of the substrate oxygen atoms that are coupled to dioxygen by the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) remains a central question toward understanding Nature's water oxidation mechanism. In several studies, ammonia has been used as a small "water analogue" to elucidate the pathway of substrate access to the OEC and to aid in determining which of the oxygen ligands of the tetramanganese cluster are substrates for O-O bond formation. On the basis of structural and spectroscopic investigations, five first-sphere binding modes of ammonia have been suggested, involving either substitution of an existing H2O/OH-/O2- group or addition as an extra ligand to a metal ion of the Mn4CaO5 cluster. Some of these modes, specifically the ones involving substitution, have already been subject to spectroscopy-oriented quantum chemical investigations, whereas more recent suggestions that postulate the addition of ammonia have not been examined so far with quantum chemistry for their agreement with spectroscopic data. Herein, we use a common structural framework and theoretical methodology to evaluate structural models of the OEC that represent all proposed modes of first-sphere ammonia interaction with the OEC in its S2 state. Criteria include energetic, magnetic, kinetic, and spectroscopic properties compared against available experimental EPR, ENDOR, ESEEM, and EDNMR data. Our results show that models featuring ammonia replacing one of the two terminal water ligands on Mn4 align best with experimental data, while they definitively exclude substitution of a bridging μ-oxo ligand as well as incorporation of ammonia as a sixth ligand on Mn1 or Mn4.

Understanding the Exchange Interaction between Paramagnetic Metal Ions and Radical Ligands: DFT and Ab Initio Study on Semiquinonato Cu(II) Complexes

The exchange coupling, represented by the J parameter, is of tremendous importance in understanding the reactivity and magnetic behavior of open-shell molecular systems. In the past, it was the subject of theoretical investigations, but these studies are mostly limited to the interaction between metallic centers. The exchange coupling between paramagnetic metal ions and radical ligands has hitherto received scant attention in theoretical studies, and thus the understanding of the factors governing this interaction is lacking. In this paper, we use DFT, CASSCF, CASSCF/NEVPT2, and DDCI3 methods to provide insight into exchange interaction in semiquinonato copper(II) complexes. Our primary objective is to identify structural features that affect this magnetic interaction. We demonstrate that the magnetic character of Cu(II)-semiquinone complexes are mainly determined by the relative position of the semiquinone ligand to the Cu(II) ion. The results can support the experimental interpretation of magnetic data for similar systems and can be used for the in-silico design of magnetic complexes with radical ligands.

Synthesis and structural, magnetic and spectroscopic characterization of iron(III) complexes with in situ formed ligands from methyl-2-pyridyl ketone transformations

Reactions of methyl-2-pyridyl ketone, pyCOMe, with FeCl₃·6H₂O in various solvents gave complexes [Fe₄Cl₆(OMe)₂(L1)₂]·0.7MeCN·0.4MeOH (1·0.7MeCN·0.4MeOH) and [Fe₃Cl₄(bicine)(L2)]·Me₂CO·0.2H₂O (2·Me₂CO·0.2H₂O). The ligands (L1)^2- = pyCO(Me)CHCOpy (in 1) and (L2)^2- = pyCO(Me)CH₂CO(OMe)py (in 2) are formed in situ, through an aldol reaction-type mechanism between the carbanion pyC(O)CH₂^- (formed by the nucleophilic attack of the MeO^- in pyCOMe) and pyCOMe which results in the formation of a new C-C bond. The intermediate compound undergoes attack in the -CH₂- or -CO- group by a MeO^- group, and the new ligands (L1)^2- and (L2)^2-, respectively, are formed. The molecular structure of 1 consists of three corner-sharing [Fe₂O₂] rhombic units in cis-arrangement. The two terminal Fe^III ions display distorted square pyramidal geometry and the two central Fe^III ions are distorted octahedral. The molecular structure of 2 consists of two corner-sharing [Fe₂O₂] rhombic units, with the two terminal Fe^III ions in distorted square pyramidal geometry and the central Fe^III in distorted octahedral. The differentiation in the coordination environment of the Fe^III ions in 1-2 is reflected in the values of the Mössbauer hyperfine parameters. In agreement with theoretical calculations, the square pyramidal sites exhibit a smaller isomer shift value in comparison to the octahedral sites. Magnetic studies indicate antiferromagnetic interactions leading to an S = 0 ground state in 1 and to an S = 5/2 ground state in 2, consistent with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Mössbauer spectra of 2 indicate the onset of relaxation effects below 80 K. At 1.5 K the spectrum of 2 consists of magnetic sextets. The determined hyperfine magnetic fields are consistent with the exchange coupling scheme imposed by the crystal structure of 2. Theoretical calculations shed light on the differences in the electronic structure between the square pyramidal and the octahedral sites.

Redox Isomerism in the S3 State of the Oxygen-Evolving Complex Resolved by Coupled Cluster Theory

The electronic and geometric structures of the water-oxidizing complex of photosystem II in the steps of the catalytic cycle that precede dioxygen evolution remain hotly debated. Recent structural and spectroscopic investigations support contradictory redox formulations for the active-site Mn4 CaOx cofactor in the final metastable S3 state. These range from the widely accepted MnIV 4 oxo-hydroxo model, which presumes that O-O bond formation occurs in the ultimate transient intermediate (S4 ) of the catalytic cycle, to a MnIII 2 MnIV 2 peroxo model representative of the contrasting "early-onset" O-O bond formation hypothesis. Density functional theory energetics of suggested S3 redox isomers are inconclusive because of extreme functional dependence. Here, we use the power of the domain-based local pair natural orbital approach to coupled cluster theory, DLPNO-CCSD(T), to present the first correlated wave function theory calculations of relative stabilities for distinct redox-isomeric forms of the S3 state. Our results enabled us to evaluate conflicting models for the S3 state of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) and to quantify the accuracy of lower-level theoretical approaches. Our assessment of the relevance of distinct redox-isomeric forms for the mechanism of biological water oxidation strongly disfavors the scenario of early-onset O-O formation advanced by literal interpretations of certain crystallographic models. This work serves as a case study in the application of modern coupled cluster implementations to redox isomerism problems in oligonuclear transition metal systems.

CaMn3 IV O4 Cubane Models of the Oxygen-Evolving Complex: Spin Ground States S<9/2 and the Effect of Oxo Protonation

We report the single crystal XRD and MicroED structure, magnetic susceptibility, and EPR data of a series of CaMn₃ ^IV O₄ and YMn₃ ^IV O₄ complexes as structural and spectroscopic models of the cuboidal subunit of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). The effect of changes in heterometal identity, cluster geometry, and bridging oxo protonation on the spin-state structure was investigated. In contrast to previous computational models, we show that the spin ground state of CaMn₃ ^IV O₄ complexes and variants with protonated oxo moieties need not be S=9/2. Desymmetrization of the pseudo-C₃ -symmetric Ca(Y)Mn₃ ^IV O₄ core leads to a lower S=5/2 spin ground state. The magnitude of the magnetic exchange coupling is attenuated upon oxo protonation, and an S=3/2 spin ground state is observed in CaMn₃ ^IV O₃ (OH). Our studies complement the observation that the interconversion between the low-spin and high-spin forms of the S₂ state is pH-dependent, suggesting that the (de)protonation of bridging or terminal oxygen atoms in the OEC may be connected to spin-state changes.

Successes, challenges, and opportunities for quantum chemistry in understanding metalloenzymes for solar fuels research

Overview of the rich and diverse contributions of quantum chemistry to understanding the structure and function of the biological archetypes for solar fuel research, photosystem II and hydrogenases.

Altering the nature of coupling by changing the oxidation state in a {Mn6} cage

Polynuclear transition metal complexes have continuously attracted interest owing to their peculiar electronic and magnetic properties which are influenced by the symmetry and connectivity of the metal centres. Understanding the full electronic picture in such cases often becomes difficult owing to the presence of multiple bridges between metal centres. We have investigated the electronic structure of a {Mn6} cage complex using computational and experimental approaches with the aim to understand the coupling between the manganese centres. The nature of the various coupling pathways has been determined using a novel methodology that involves perturbing the system while retaining the symmetry and analysing the effect on the coupling strength due to the perturbation. Furthermore, we have investigated the magnetic properties of this complex in higher oxidation states which reveals a switch in the nature of coupling from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic in addition to stabilisation of intermediate spin states.

Implications of structural heterogeneity for the electronic structure of the final oxygen-evolving intermediate in photosystem II

Heterogeneity in intermediate catalytic states of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of Photosystem II is known from a wide range of experimental and theoretical data, but its potential implications for the mechanism of water oxidation remain unexplored. We delineate the consequences of structural heterogeneity for the final step of the catalytic cycle by tracing the evolution of three spectroscopically relevant and structurally distinct components of the last metastable S₃ state to the transient O₂-evolving S₄ state of the OEC. Using quantum chemical calculations, we show that each S₃ isomer leads to a different electronic structure formulation for the active S₄ state. Crucially, in addition to previously hypothesized Mn(IV)-oxyl species, we establish for the first time, how a genuine Mn(V)-oxo can be obtained in the catalytically active S₄ state: this takes the form of a five-coordinate and locally high-spin (S_Mn = 1) Mn(V) site. This formulation for the S₄ state evolves naturally from a preceding S₃-state structural intermediate that contains a quasi-trigonal-bipyramidal Mn(IV) ion. The results strongly suggest that water binding in the S₃ state is not prerequisite for reaching the oxygen-evolving S₄ state of the complex, supporting the notion that both substrates are preloaded at the beginning of the catalytic cycle. This scenario allows true four-electron metal-centered hole accumulation to precede OO bond formation and hence the latter can proceed via a genuine even-electron mechanism. This can occur as intramolecular nucleophilic coupling of two oxo units synchronously with the binding of a water substrate for the next catalytic cycle.

Assessment of Double-Hybrid Density Functional Theory for Magnetic Exchange Coupling in Manganese Complexes

Molecular systems containing magnetically interacting (exchange-coupled) manganese ions are important in catalysis, biomimetic chemistry, and molecular magnetism. The reliable prediction of exchange coupling constants with quantum chemical methods is key for tracing the relationships between structure and magnetic properties in these systems. Density functional theory (DFT) in the broken-symmetry approach has been employed extensively for this purpose and hybrid functionals with moderate levels of Hartree–Fock exchange admixture have often been shown to perform adequately. Double-hybrid density functionals that introduce a second-order perturbational contribution to the Kohn–Sham energy are generally regarded as a superior approach for most molecular properties, but their performance remains unexplored for exchange-coupled manganese systems. An assessment of various double-hybrid functionals for the prediction of exchange coupling constants is presented here using a set of experimentally characterized dinuclear manganese complexes that cover a wide range of exchange coupling situations. Double-hybrid functionals perform more uniformly compared to conventional DFT methods, but they fail to deliver improved accuracy or reliability in the prediction of exchange coupling constants. Reparametrized double-hybrid density functionals (DHDFs) perform no better, and most often worse, than the original B2-PLYP double-hybrid method. All DHDFs are surpassed by the hybrid-meta-generalized gradient approximation (GGA) TPSSh functional. Possible directions for future methodological developments are discussed.

Meeting the Challenge of Magnetic Coupling in a Triply-Bridged Chromium Dimer: Complementary Broken-Symmetry Density Functional Theory and Multireference Density Matrix Renormalization Group Perspectives

Face-sharing octahedral dinuclear Cr(III) compounds with d³–d³ electronic configurations represent nontrivial examples of electronic complexity, posing particular challenges for theoretical and computational studies. A tris-hydroxy-bridged Cr(III)–Cr(III) system has proven to be a richly rewarding target for studies of magnetism and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It was also reported to be a peculiarly difficult system to treat with density functional theory (DFT). In this work the magnetic coupling problem for this dimer is approached with broken-symmetry (BS)-DFT and multireference calculations that utilize the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) to handle full-valence active spaces. BS-DFT is shown to recover the correct ordering and energy spacing of Heisenberg spin states if used in conjunction with appropriate spin projection procedures, albeit with pronounced functional sensitivity. The contrasting conclusions of previous studies are traced to incorrect inclusion of electronically excited configurations. Analysis of the direct and differential overlap of corresponding orbital pairs from the BS-DFT solution indicates that metal–metal through-space interaction is the dominant contributor to antiferromagnetic coupling. At the DFT level a procedure that utilizes pseudopotential substitution is demonstrated that allows evaluation of the direct exchange vs superexchange contributions. A complementary description is obtained with DMRG-SCF calculations that enable state-averaged CASSCF calculations with both metal and bridge orbitals in the active space. A localized orbital subspace analysis supports the DFT conclusions that in contrast to doubly bridged isoelectronic analogues, antiferromagnetic coupling in the chromium dimer arises primarily from direct metal–metal interaction but is significantly enhanced by ligand-mediated superexchange.

A Comparison of Experimental and Broken Symmetry Density Functional Theory (BS-DFT) Calculated Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Parameters for Intermediates Involved in the S2 to S3 State Transition of Nature's Oxygen Evolving Complex

A broken symmetry density functional theory (BS-DFT) magnetic analysis of the S₂, S₂Y_Z^•, and S₃ states of Nature's oxygen evolving complex is performed for both the native Ca and Sr substituted forms. Good agreement with experiment is observed between the tyrosyl calculated g-tensor and ¹H hyperfine couplings for the native Ca form. Changes in the hydrogen bonding environment of the tyrosyl radical in S₂Y_Z^• caused by Sr substitution lead to notable changes in the calculated g-tensor of the tyrosyl radical. Comparison of calculated and experimental ⁵⁵Mn hyperfine couplings for the S₃ state presently favors an open cubane form of the complex with an additional OH ligand coordinating to Mn_D. In Ca models, this additional ligation can arise by closed-cubane form deprotonation of the Ca ligand W3 in the S₂Y_Z^• state accompanied by spontaneous movement to the vacant Mn coordination site or by addition of an external OH group. For the Sr form, no spontaneous movement of W3 to the vacant Mn coordination site is observed in contrast to the native Ca form, a difference which may lead to the reduced catalytic activity of the Sr substituted form. BS-DFT studies on peroxo models of S₃ as indicated by a recent X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) crystallography study give rise to a structural model compatible with experimental data and an S = 3 ground state compatible with EPR studies.

Synthesis and magneto-structural studies on a new family of carbonato bridged 3d–4f complexes featuring a [CoII3LnIII3(CO3)] (Ln = La, Gd, Tb, Dy and Ho) core: slow magnetic relaxation displayed by the cobalt(ii)–dysprosium(iii) analogue

A new series of carbonato-bridged complexes containing a CoII3LnIII3 core have been synthesized.

Exchange Coupling Interactions from the Density Matrix Renormalization Group and N-Electron Valence Perturbation Theory: Application to a Biomimetic Mixed-Valence Manganese Complex

The accurate description of magnetic level energetics in oligonuclear exchange-coupled transition-metal complexes remains a formidable challenge for quantum chemistry. The density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) brings such systems for the first time easily within reach of multireference wave function methods by enabling the use of unprecedentedly large active spaces. But does this guarantee systematic improvement in predictive ability and, if so, under which conditions? We identify operational parameters in the use of DMRG using as a test system an experimentally characterized mixed-valence bis-μ-oxo/μ-acetato Mn(III,IV) dimer, a model for the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II. A complete active space of all metal 3d and bridge 2p orbitals proved to be the smallest meaningful starting point; this is readily accessible with DMRG and greatly improves on the unrealistic metal-only configuration interaction or complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) values. Orbital optimization is critical for stabilizing the antiferromagnetic state, while a state-averaged approach over all spin states involved is required to avoid artificial deviations from isotropic behavior that are associated with state-specific calculations. Selective inclusion of localized orbital subspaces enables probing the relative contributions of different ligands and distinct superexchange pathways. Overall, however, full-valence DMRG-CASSCF calculations fall short of providing a quantitative description of the exchange coupling owing to insufficient recovery of dynamic correlation. Quantitatively accurate results can be achieved through a DMRG implementation of second order N-electron valence perturbation theory (NEVPT2) in conjunction with a full-valence metal and ligand active space. Perspectives for future applications of DMRG-CASSCF/NEVPT2 to exchange coupling in oligonuclear clusters are discussed.

Black-box determination of temperature-dependent susceptibilities for crystalline organic radicals with complex magnetic topologies

In all but the simplest crystal structures, the identification of all relevant interactions between magnetic sites as well as the setup of magnetic model spaces, which are necessary for modeling macroscopic magnetism, are tedious and error-prone tasks. Here, we present a procedure to generate magnetic susceptibility versus temperature curves using only a crystal structure as input. The procedure, which is based on the first-principles bottom-up approach [Deumal et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 2002, 106, 1299], is designed in a way to require as little user interference as possible. We employ quantum chemical calculations to parametrize a Heisenberg Hamiltonian, which is set up and diagonalized for different magnetic model spaces to ensure convergence of the model. We apply the procedure to several 6-oxo-verdazyl radical structures, including newly synthesized compounds, and compare the results to data we obtained from magnetic susceptibility measurements as well as published data to further benchmark our procedure. Furthermore, the different impact of certain dominating coupling constants is systematically analyzed.

Metal oxidation states in biological water splitting

A central question in biological water splitting concerns the oxidation states of the manganese ions that comprise the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II.

A central question in biological water splitting concerns the oxidation states of the manganese ions that comprise the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II. Understanding the nature and order of oxidation events that occur during the catalytic cycle of five S_i states (i = 0–4) is of fundamental importance both for the natural system and for artificial water oxidation catalysts. Despite the widespread adoption of the so-called “high-valent scheme”—where, for example, the Mn oxidation states in the S₂ state are assigned as III, IV, IV, IV—the competing “low-valent scheme” that differs by a total of two metal unpaired electrons (i.e. III, III, III, IV in the S₂ state) is favored by several recent studies for the biological catalyst. The question of the correct oxidation state assignment is addressed here by a detailed computational comparison of the two schemes using a common structural platform and theoretical approach. Models based on crystallographic constraints were constructed for all conceivable oxidation state assignments in the four (semi)stable S states of the oxygen evolving complex, sampling various protonation levels and patterns to ensure comprehensive coverage. The models are evaluated with respect to their geometric, energetic, electronic, and spectroscopic properties against available experimental EXAFS, XFEL-XRD, EPR, ENDOR and Mn K pre-edge XANES data. New 2.5 K ⁵⁵Mn ENDOR data of the S₂ state are also reported. Our results conclusively show that the entire S state phenomenology can only be accommodated within the high-valent scheme by adopting a single motif and protonation pattern that progresses smoothly from S₀ (III, III, III, IV) to S₃ (IV, IV, IV, IV), satisfying all experimental constraints and reproducing all observables. By contrast, it was impossible to construct a consistent cycle based on the low-valent scheme for all S states. Instead, the low-valent models developed here may provide new insight into the over-reduced S states and the states involved in the assembly of the catalytically active water oxidizing cluster.

A first-principles approach to the calculation of the on-site zero-field splitting in polynuclear transition metal complexes

The interpretation of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of polynuclear transition metal complexes in terms of individual contributions from each paramagnetic center can be greatly facilitated by the availability of theoretical methods that enable the reliable prediction of local spectroscopic parameters. In this work we report an approach that enables the application of multireference ab initio methods for the calculation of local zero field splitting tensors, one of the leading terms in the spin Hamiltonian for exchange-coupled systems of high nuclearity. The method referred to as local complete active space configuration interaction (L-CASCI) represents a multireference calculation with an active space composed of local orbitals of the center of interest. By successive permutation of the active space to include the localized orbitals corresponding to a particular center of the complex, all on-site parameters can be easily obtained at a high-level of theory with a corresponding low computational cost. Benchmark calculations on synthetic complexes confirm the validity of the approach. As an example of the applicability of the L-CASCI method to large systems, we determine the local anisotropy of the Mn(III) ion of the tetranuclear manganese cluster of photosystem II in both structural forms of its S2 state.

The protonation states of oxo-bridged Mn(IV) dimers resolved by experimental and computational Mn K pre-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy

In nature, the protonation of oxo bridges is a commonly encountered mechanism for fine-tuning chemical properties and reaction pathways. Often, however, the protonation states are difficult to establish experimentally. This is of particular importance in the oxygen evolving complex of photosystem II, where identification of the bridging oxo protonation states is one of the essential requirements toward unraveling the mechanism. In order to establish a combined experimental and theoretical protocol for the determination of protonation states, we have systematically investigated a series of Mn model complexes by Mn K pre-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. An ideal test case for selective bis-μ-oxo-bridge protonation in a Mn dimer is represented by the system [Mn(IV)2(salpn)2(μ-OHn)2](n+). Although the three species [Mn(IV)2(salpn)2(μ-O)2], [Mn(IV)2(salpn)2(μ-O)(μ-OH)](+) and [Mn(IV)2(salpn)2(μ-OH)2](2+) differ only in the protonation of the oxo bridges, they exhibit distinct differences in the pre-edge region while maintaining the same edge energy. The experimental spectra are correlated in detail to theoretically calculated spectra. A time-dependent density functional theory approach for calculating the pre-edge spectra of molecules with multiple metal centers is presented, using both high spin (HS) and broken symmetry (BS) electronic structure solutions. The most intense pre-edge transitions correspond to an excitation of the Mn 1s core electrons into the unoccupied orbitals of local e(g) character (d(z)(2) and d(xy) based in the chosen coordinate system). The lowest energy experimental feature is dominated by excitations of 1s-α electrons, and the second observed feature is primarily attributed to 1s-β electron excitations. The observed energetic separation is due to spin polarization effects in spin-unrestricted density functional theory and models final state multiplet effects. The effects of spin polarization on the calculated Mn K pre-edge spectra, in both the HS and BS solutions, are discussed in terms of the strength of the antiferromagnetic coupling and associated changes in the covalency of Mn-O bonds. The information presented in this paper is complemented with the X-ray emission spectra of the same compounds published in an accompanying paper. Taken together, the two studies provide the foundation for a better understanding of the X-ray spectroscopic data of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) in photosystem II.

Convergence of QM/MM and Cluster Models for the Spectroscopic Properties of the Oxygen-Evolving Complex in Photosystem II

The latest crystal structure of photosystem II at 1.9 Å resolution, which resolves the topology of the Mn4CaO5 oxygen evolving complex (OEC) at atomistic detail, enables a better correlation between structural features and spectroscopic properties than ever before. Building on the refined crystallographic model of the OEC and the protein, we present combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) studies of the spectroscopic properties of the natural catalyst embedded in the protein matrix. Focusing on the S2 state of the catalytic cycle, we examine the convergence of not only structural parameters but also of the intracluster magnetic interactions in terms of exchange coupling constants and of experimentally relevant (55)Mn, (17)O, and (14)N hyperfine coupling constants with respect to QM/MM partitioning using five QM regions of increasing size. This enables us to assess the performance of the method and to probe second sphere effects by identifying amino acid residues that principally affect the spectroscopic properties of the OEC. Comparison between QM-only and QM/MM treatments reveals that whereas QM/MM models converge quickly to stable values, the QM cluster models need to incorporate significantly larger parts of the second coordination sphere and surrounding water molecules to achieve convergence for certain properties. This is mainly due to the sensitivity of the QM-only models to fluctuations in the hydrogen bonding network and ligand acidity. Additionally, a hydrogen bond that is typically omitted in QM-only treatments is shown to determine the hyperfine coupling tensor of the unique Mn(III) ion by regulating the rotation plane of the ligated D1-His332 imidazole ring, the only N-donor ligand of the OEC.

π-Conjugated trinuclear group-9 metalladithiolenes with a triphenylene backbone

Previously, we synthesized π-conjugated trinuclear metalladithiolene complexes based on benzenehexathiol (J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans.1998, 2651; Dalton Trans.2009, 1939; Inorg. Chem.2011, 50, 6856). Here we report trinuclear complexes with a triphenylene backbone. A reaction with triphenylenehexathiol and group 9 metal precursors in the presence of triethylamine gives rise to trinuclear complexes 9-11. The planar structure of 11 is determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The ligand-to-metal charge transfer bands of 9-11 move to longer wavelengths compared with those of mononuclear 12-14. Electrochemical measurements disclose that the one-electron and two-electron reduced mixed-valent states are stabilized thermodynamically. UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy for the reduced species of 9 identifies intervalence charge transfer bands for 9(-) and 9(2-), substantiating the existence of electronic communication among the three metal nuclei. These observations prove that the triphenylene backbone transmits π-conjugation among the three metalladithiolene units.

On the magnetic and spectroscopic properties of high-valent Mn3CaO4 cubanes as structural units of natural and artificial water-oxidizing catalysts

The Mn(IV)3CaO4 cubane is a structural motif present in the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II and in water-oxidizing Mn/Ca layered oxides. This work investigates the magnetic and spectroscopic properties of two recently synthesized complexes and a series of idealized models that incorporate this structural unit. Magnetic interactions, accessible spin states, and (55)Mn isotropic hyperfine couplings are computed with quantum chemical methods and form the basis for structure-property correlations. Additionally, the effects of oxo-bridge protonation and one-electron reduction are examined. The calculated properties are found to be in excellent agreement with available experimental data. It is established that all synthetic and model Mn(IV)3CaO4 cubane complexes have the same high-spin S = (9)/2 ground state. The magnetic coupling conditions under which different ground spin states can be accessed are determined. Substitution of Mn(IV) magnetic centers by diamagnetic ions [e.g., Ge(IV)] allows one to "switch off" specific spin sites in order to examine the magnetic orbitals along individual Mn-Mn exchange pathways, which confirms the predominance of ferromagnetic interactions within the cubane framework. The span of the Heisenberg spin ladder is found to correlate inversely with the number of protonated oxo bridges. Energetic comparisons for protonated models show that the tris-μ-oxo bridge connecting only Mn ions in the cubane has the lowest proton affinity and that the average relaxation energy per additional proton is on the order of 18 kcal·mol(-1), thus making access to ground states other than the high-spin S = (9)/2 state in these cubanes unlikely. The relevance of these cubanes for the OEC and synthetic oxides is discussed.

Tris(1,10-phenanthroline-κ(2) N,N')nickel(II) hexa-oxido-μ-peroxido-disulfate-(VI) N,N-dimethyl-formamide disolvate monohydrate

The asymmetric unit of the title complex, [Ni(C12H8N2)3]S2O8·2C3H7NO·H2O, consists of a complex [Ni(phen)3](2+) cation and one isolated pds anion, with two DMF mol-ecules and one water mol-ecule as solvates (where phen is 1,10-phenanthroline, pds is the hexa-oxido-μ-peroxoido-di-sulf-ate dianion and DMF is dimethyl-formamide). The [Ni(phen)3](2+) cation is regular, with an almost ideal Ni(II) bond-valence sum of 2.07 v.u. The group, as well as the water solvent mol-ecule, are well behaved in terms of crystallographic order, but the remaining three mol-ecules in the structure display different kinds of disorder, viz. the two DMF mol-ecules mimic a twofold splitting and the pds anion has both S atoms clamped at well-determined positions but with a not-too-well-defined central part. These peculiar behaviours are a consequence of the hydrogen-bonding inter-actions: the outermost SO3 parts of the pds anion are heavily connected to the complex cations via C-H⋯O hydrogen bonding, generating an [Ni(phen)3]pds network and providing for the stability of the terminal pds sites. Also, the water solvent mol-ecule is strongly bound to the structure (being a donor of two strong bonds and an acceptor of one) and is accordingly perfectly ordered. The peroxide O atoms in the pds middle region, instead, appear as much less restrained into their sites, which may explain their tendency to disorder. The cation-anion network leaves large embedded holes, amounting to about 28% of the total crystal volume, which are occupied by the DMF mol-ecules. The latter are weakly inter-acting with the rest of the structure, which renders them much more labile and, accordingly, prone to disorder.

Theoretical evaluation of structural models of the S2 state in the oxygen evolving complex of Photosystem II: protonation states and magnetic interactions

Protonation states of water ligands and oxo bridges are intimately involved in tuning the electronic structures and oxidation potentials of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) in Photosystem II, steering the mechanistic pathway, which involves at least five redox state intermediates S(n) (n = 0-4) resulting in the oxidation of water to molecular oxygen. Although protons are practically invisible in protein crystallography, their effects on the electronic structure and magnetic properties of metal active sites can be probed using spectroscopy. With the twin purpose of aiding the interpretation of the complex electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic data of the OEC and of improving the view of the cluster at the atomic level, a complete set of protonation configurations for the S(2) state of the OEC were investigated, and their distinctive effects on magnetic properties of the cluster were evaluated. The most recent X-ray structure of Photosystem II at 1.9 Å resolution was used and refined to obtain the optimum structure for the Mn(4)O(5)Ca core within the protein pocket. Employing this model, a set of 26 structures was constructed that tested various protonation scenarios of the water ligands and oxo bridges. Our results suggest that one of the two water molecules that are proposed to coordinate the outer Mn ion (Mn(A)) of the cluster is deprotonated in the S(2) state, as this leads to optimal experimental agreement, reproducing the correct ground state spin multiplicity (S = 1/2), spin expectation values, and EXAFS-derived metal-metal distances. Deprotonation of Ca(2+)-bound water molecules is strongly disfavored in the S(2) state, but dissociation of one of the two water ligands appears to be facile. The computed isotropic hyperfine couplings presented here allow distinctions between models to be made and call into question the assumption that the largest coupling is always attributable to Mn(III). The present results impose limits for the total charge and the proton configuration of the OEC in the S(2) state, with implications for the cascade of events in the Kok cycle and for the water splitting mechanism.

Electronic structure of a weakly antiferromagnetically coupled Mn(II)Mn(III) model relevant to manganese proteins: a combined EPR, 55Mn-ENDOR, and DFT study

An analysis of the electronic structure of the [Mn(II)Mn(III)(μ-OH)-(μ-piv)(2)(Me(3)tacn)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (PivOH) complex is reported. It displays features that include: (i) a ground 1/2 spin state; (ii) a small exchange (J) coupling between the two Mn ions; (iii) a mono-μ-hydroxo bridge, bis-μ-carboxylato motif; and (iv) a strongly coupled, terminally bound N ligand to the Mn(III). All of these features are observed in structural models of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC). Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) measurements were performed on this complex, and the resultant spectra simulated using the Spin Hamiltonian formalism. The strong field dependence of the (55)Mn-ENDOR constrains the (55)Mn hyperfine tensors such that a unique solution for the electronic structure can be deduced. Large hyperfine anisotropy is required to reproduce the EPR/ENDOR spectra for both the Mn(II) and Mn(III) ions. The large effective hyperfine tensor anisotropy of the Mn(II), a d(5) ion which usually exhibits small anisotropy, is interpreted within a formalism in which the fine structure tensor of the Mn(III) ion strongly perturbs the zero-field energy levels of the Mn(II)Mn(III) complex. An estimate of the fine structure parameter (d) for the Mn(III) of -4 cm(-1) was made, by assuming the intrinsic anisotropy of the Mn(II) ion is small. The magnitude of the fine structure and intrinsic (onsite) hyperfine tensor of the Mn(III) is consistent with the known coordination environment of the Mn(III) ion as seen from its crystal structure. Broken symmetry density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed on the crystal structure geometry. DFT values for both the isotropic and the anisotropic components of the onsite (intrinsic) hyperfine tensors match those inferred from the EPR/ENDOR simulations described above, to within 5%. This study demonstrates that DFT calculations provide reliable estimates for spectroscopic observables of mixed valence Mn complexes, even in the limit where the description of a well isolated S = 1/2 ground state begins to break down.

Effect of Ca2+/Sr2+ substitution on the electronic structure of the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II: a combined multifrequency EPR, 55Mn-ENDOR, and DFT study of the S2 state

The electronic structures of the native Mn(4)O(x)Ca cluster and the biosynthetically substituted Mn(4)O(x)Sr cluster of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII) core complexes isolated from Thermosynechococcus elongatus, poised in the S(2) state, were studied by X- and Q-band CW-EPR and by pulsed Q-band (55)Mn-ENDOR spectroscopy. Both wild type and tyrosine D less mutants grown photoautotrophically in either CaCl(2) or SrCl(2) containing media were measured. The obtained CW-EPR spectra of the S(2) state displayed the characteristic, clearly noticeable differences in the hyperfine pattern of the multiline EPR signal [Boussac et al. J. Biol. Chem.2004, 279, 22809-22819]. In sharp contrast, the manganese ((55)Mn) ENDOR spectra of the Ca and Sr forms of the OEC were remarkably similar. Multifrequency simulations of the X- and Q-band CW-EPR and (55)Mn-pulsed ENDOR spectra using the Spin Hamiltonian formalism were performed to investigate this surprising result. It is shown that (i) all four manganese ions contribute to the (55)Mn-ENDOR spectra; (ii) only small changes are seen in the fitted isotropic hyperfine values for the Ca(2+) and Sr(2+) containing OEC, suggesting that there is no change in the overall spin distribution (electronic coupling scheme) upon Ca(2+)/Sr(2+) substitution; (iii) the changes in the CW-EPR hyperfine pattern can be explained by a small decrease in the anisotropy of at least two hyperfine tensors. It is proposed that modifications at the Ca(2+) site may modulate the fine structure tensor of the Mn(III) ion. DFT calculations support the above conclusions. Our data analysis also provides strong support for the notion that in the S(2) state the coordination of the Mn(III) ion is square-pyramidal (5-coordinate) or octahedral (6-coordinate) with tetragonal elongation. In addition, it is shown that only one of the currently published OEC models, the Siegbahn structure [Siegbahn, P. E. M. Acc. Chem. Res.2009, 42, 1871-1880, Pantazis, D. A. et al. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.2009, 11, 6788-6798], is consistent with all data presented here. These results provide important information for the structure of the OEC and the water-splitting mechanism. In particular, the 5-coordinate Mn(III) is a potential site for substrate 'water' (H(2)O, OH(-)) binding. Its location within the cuboidal structural unit, as opposed to the external 'dangler' position, may have important consequences for the mechanism of O-O bond formation.