Solution Spin Crossover Versus Speciation Effects: A Cautionary Tale

Two acyclic tetradentate Schiff base ligands, HL^X-OH (X = H and Br), were synthesised by 2:1 condensation of either 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde or 5-bromo-2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and 1,3-diamino-2-propanol and then used to prepare six mononuclear complexes, [Fe^II(HL^X-OH)(NCE)₂], with three different NCE co-ligands (E = BH₃, Se, and S). The apparent solution spin crossover switching temperature, T_1/2, of these 6 complexes, determined by Evans method NMR studies, is tuned by several factors: (a) substituent X present at the 5 position of the pyridine ring of the ligand, (b) E present in the NCE co-ligand, (c) solvent employed (P'), and (d) potentially also by speciation effects. In CD₃CN, for the pair of NCE = NCBH₃ complexes, when X = H, the complex is practically LS (extrapolated T_1/2 ∼624 K), whereas when X = Br, it is far lower (373 K), which implies a higher field strength when X = H than when it is Br. The same trend, X = H results in a higher apparent T_1/2 than X = Br, is seen for the other two pairs of complexes, with E = Se (429 > 351 K, ΔT_1/2 = 78 K) or S (361 > 342 K, ΔT_1/2 = 19 K). For the family of three X = Br complexes, the change of E from BH₃ (373 K) to Se (351 K) to S (342 K) leads to an overall ΔT_1/2(apparent) = 31 K, whereas the decreases are far more pronounced in the X = H family (BH₃ ∼624 > Se 429 > S 361 K). Changing the solvent used from CD₃CN to (CD₃)₂CO and CD₃NO₂, for [Fe^II(HL^Br-OH)(NCE)₂] with either E = BH₃ or S, revealed excellent, and very similar, positive linear correlations (R² = 0.99) of increasing solvent polarity index P' (from 5 to 7) with increasing apparent T_1/2 of the complex (E = BH₃ gave T_1/2 300 < 373 < 451 K , ΔT_1/2 = 151 K; E = S gave T_1/2 288 < 342 < 427 K, ΔT_1/2 = 147 K). Several other solvent parameters were also correlated with the apparent T_1/2 of these complexes (R² = 0.74-0.96). Excellent linear correlations (R² = 0.99) are also obtained with the coordination ability (a^TM) of the three NCE co-ligands with the apparent T_1/2 in both families of compounds, [Fe^II(HL^X-OH)(NCE)₂] where X = H or Br. The ¹⁵N NMR chemical shifts of the nitrogen atom in the three NCE co-ligands (direct measurement) show modest correlations (R² = 0.74 for L^H-OH family and 0.80 for L^Br-OH family) with the apparent T_1/2 values of the corresponding complexes.

Spin crossover in 2D iron(ii) phthalazine cyanometallic complexes

Two new spin-crossover analogues of Hofmann clathrates based on a bicyclic ligand phthalazine have been synthesized.

Crystal structure of poly[[di-aqua-tetra-μ2-cyanido-iron(II)platinum(II)] acetone disolvate]

In the title polymeric complex, {[FePt(CN)4(H2O)2]·2C3H6O} n , the FeII cation has an octa-hedral [FeN4O2] geometry being coordinated by two water mol-ecules and four cyanide anions. The Pt cation is located on an inversion centre and has a square-planar coordination environment formed by four cyanide groups. The tetra-cyano-platinate anions bridge the FeII cations to form infinite two-dimensional layers that propagate in the bc plane. Two guest mol-ecules of acetone per FeII are located between the layers. These guest acetone mol-ecules inter-act with the coordinated water mol-ecules by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Crystal structure of poly[bis-(μ-2-bromo-pyrazine)-tetra-μ2-cyanido-dicopper(I)iron(II)]: a bimetallic metal-organic framework

In the title metal-organic framework, [Fe(C4H3BrN2)2{Cu(CN)2}2] n , the FeII cation is located on an inversion center and has a slightly elongated octa-hedral coordination environment [FeN6], ligated by two pyrazine N atoms of symmetry-related bridging 2-bromo-pyrazine mol-ecules in the axial positions and by four N atoms of pairs of symmetry-related cyanido groups in the equatorial positions. The CuI center has a fourfold coordination environment [CuC3N], with an almost perfect trigonal-pyramidal geometry, formed by three cyanido C atoms and an N atom of a bridging 2-bromo-pyrazine mol-ecule. Copper(I) centers related by a twofold rotation axis are bridged by two carbon atoms from a pair of μ-CN groups, resulting in Cu2(CN)2 units. Each Cu2(CN)2 unit is linked to six FeII cations via a pair of linear CN units, the pair of μ-CN groups and two bridging 2-bromo-pyrazine ligands, resulting in the formation of a metal-organic framework, which is additionally stabilized by the short Cu⋯Cu contacts of 2.4450 (7) Å.

Pressure Effect Studies on the Spin Transition of Microporous 3D Polymer [Fe(pz)Pt(CN)4]

Pressure effects on the spin transition of the three-dimensional (3D) porous coordination polymer {Fe(pz)[Pt(CN)₄]} have been investigated in the interval 10⁵ Pa-1.0 GPa through variable-temperature (10-320 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectroscopic studies in the visible region at room temperature. These studies have disclosed a different behavior of the compound under pressure. In the magnetic experiments, a temperature independent paramagnetic behavior has been observed under 0.4 GPa. In contrast, at room temperature and at 0.8 GPa, a complete HS-to-LS transition has been evidenced. The differences in the magnetic behavior are strongly related with the porous structure of the compound and its capability to adsorb the oil used as pressure transmission media in the magnetic experiments.

Exploiting Pressure To Induce a "Guest-Blocked" Spin Transition in a Framework Material

A new functionalized 1,2,4-triazole ligand, 4-[(E)-2-(5-methyl-2-thienyl)vinyl]-1,2,4-triazole (thiome), was prepared to assess the broad applicability of strategically producing multistep spin transitions in two-dimensional Hofmann-type materials of the type [Fe^IIPd(CN)₄(R-1,2,4-trz)₂]·nH₂O (R-1,2,4-trz = a 4-functionalized 1,2,4-triazole ligand). A variety of structural and magnetic investigations on the resultant framework material [Fe^IIPd(CN)₄(thiome)₂]·2H₂O (A·2H₂O) reveal that a high-spin (HS) to low-spin (LS) transition is inhibited in A·2H₂O due to a combination of guest and ligand steric bulk effects. The water molecules can be reversibly removed with retention of the porous host framework and result in the emergence of an abrupt and hysteretic one-step spin transition due to the removal of guest internal pressure. A spin transition can, furthermore, be induced in A·2H₂O (0-0.68 GPa) under hydrostatic pressure, as evidenced by variable-pressure structure and magnetic studies, resulting in a two-step spin transition at ambient temperatures at 0.68 GPa. The presence of a two-step spin crossover (SCO) in A·2H₂O under hydrostatic pressure compared to a one-step SCO in A at ambient pressure is discussed in terms of the relative ability of each phase to accommodate mixed HS/LS states according to differing lattice flexibilities.

Water induced spin-crossover behaviour and magneto-structural correlation in octacyanotungstate(iv)-based iron(ii) complexes

The SCO is mainly tuned by the octahedral distortion of the [FeN₆] core caused by intermolecular hydrogen bonds, and there is an exact correlation between SCO behavior and the amount of lattice water molecules existing in the crystal.

A novel one-dimensional metal-organic framework with a μ-cyanido-argentate group: catena-poly[[(5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl-κ(2)N,N')silver(I)]-μ-cyanido-κ(2)N:C]

The design and synthesis of metal coordination and supramolecular frameworks containing N-donor ligands and dicyanidoargentate units is of interest due to their potential applications in the fields of molecular magnetism, catalysis, nonlinear optics and luminescence. In the design and synthesis of extended frameworks, supramolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and van der Waals interactions, have been exploited for molecular recognition associated with biological activity and for the engineering of molecular solids.The title compound, [Ag(CN)(C12H12N2)]n, crystallizes with the Ag(I) cation on a twofold axis, half a cyanide ligand disordered about a centre of inversion and half a twofold-symmetric 5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (5,5'-dmbpy) ligand in the asymmetric unit. Each Ag(I) cation exhibits a distorted tetrahedral geometry; the coordination environment comprises one C(N) atom and one N(C) atom from substitutionally disordered cyanide bridging ligands, and two N atoms from a bidentate chelating 5,5'-dmbpy ligand. The cyanide ligand links adjacent Ag(I) cations to generate a one-dimensional zigzag chain. These chains are linked together via weak nonclassical intermolecular interactions, generating a two-dimensional supramolecular network.

Structural phase transition in a multi-induced mononuclear FeII spin-crossover complex

One mononuclear Fe^II complex displays a structural phase transition and a multi-induced spin-crossover behavior mediated by heat, light, pressure and solvent.

Temperature- and pressure-dependent structural study of {Fe(pmd)2[Ag(CN)2]2}n spin-crossover compound by neutron Laue diffraction

The effect of pressure (up to 0.17 GPa) on the spin-crossover compound {Fe(pmd)2[Ag(CN)2]2}n [orthorhombic isomer (II), pmd = pyrimidine] has been investigated by temperature- and pressure-dependent neutron Laue diffraction and magnetometry. The cooperative high-spin ↔ low-spin transition, centred at ca 180 K at ambient pressure, is shifted to higher temperatures as pressure is applied, showing a moderate sensitivity of the compound to pressure, since the spin transition is displaced by ca 140 K GPa(-1). The space-group symmetry (orthorhombic Pccn) remains unchanged over the pressure-temperature (P-T) range studied. The main structural consequence of the high-spin to low-spin transition is the contraction of the distorted octahedral [FeN6] chromophores, being more marked in the axial positions (occupied by the pmd units), than in the equatorial positions (occupied by four [Ag(CN)2](-) bridging ligands).