Exploiting exciton coupling of ligand radical intervalence charge transfer transitions to tune NIR absorption

We detail the rational design of a series of bimetallic bis-ligand radical Ni salen complexes in which the relative orientation of the ligand radical chromophores provides a mechanism to tune the energy of intense intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands in the near infrared (NIR) region.

We detail the rational design of a series of bimetallic bis-ligand radical Ni salen complexes in which the relative orientation of the ligand radical chromophores provides a mechanism to tune the energy of intense intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands in the near infrared (NIR) region. Through a suite of experimental (electrochemistry, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy) and theoretical (density functional theory) techniques, we demonstrate that bimetallic Ni salen complexes form bis-ligand radicals upon two-electron oxidation, whose NIR absorption energies depend on the geometry imposed in the bis-ligand radical complex. Relative to the oxidized monomer [1˙]⁺ (E = 4500 cm^–1, ε = 27 700 M^–1 cm^–1), oxidation of the cofacially constrained analogue 2 to [2˙˙]²⁺ results in a blue-shifted NIR band (E = 4830 cm^–1, ε = 42 900 M^–1 cm^–1), while oxidation of 5 to [5˙˙]²⁺, with parallel arrangement of chromophores, results in a red-shifted NIR band (E = 4150 cm^–1, ε = 46 600 M^–1 cm^–1); the NIR bands exhibit double the intensity in comparison to the monomer. Oxidation of the intermediate orientations results in band splitting for [3˙˙]²⁺ (E = 4890 and 4200 cm^–1; ε = 26 500 and 21 100 M^–1 cm^–1), and a red-shift for [4˙˙]²⁺ using ortho- and meta-phenylene linkers, respectively. This study demonstrates for the first time, the applicability of exciton coupling to ligand radical systems absorbing in the NIR region and shows that by simple geometry changes, it is possible to tune the energy of intense low energy absorption by nearly 400 nm.

Enhancing the ferromagnetic coupling in extended phloroglucinol complexes by increasing the metal SOMO–ligand overlap: synthesis and characterization of a trinuclear CoII3 triplesalophen complex

The better overlap of the SOMO with the central π-system in the CoII3 than in the CuII3 complex enhances the spin-polarization and thus the ferromagnetic coupling.

Electronic and Molecular Structures of Heteroradialenes: A Combined Synthetic, Computational, Spectroscopic, and Structural Study Identifying IR Spectroscopy as a Simple but Powerful Experimental Probe

The vicinity of a hydrogen bond donor (O-H) and a hydrogen bond acceptor (C=O or C=N- R) in salicylaldehydes and ortho-Schiff bases results in significant structural variations compared to the monosubstituted derivatives that are reflected in the electronic structure and thus in the spectroscopic properties. This interplay between intramolecular hydrogen bonding and multicenter p- electron delocalization is the origin of the concept of resonance-assisted hydrogen bonding (RAHB). Herein, the complexity is extended from one hydrogen bond donor-acceptor pair in salicylaldehyde and ortho-Schiff bases to three hydrogen bond donor-acceptor pairs in 2,4,6-tricarbonyl- and 2,4,6- triimine-substituted phloroglucinols (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), respectively. To evaluate the changes in the molecular and electronic structures, we have performed a comprehensive computational, spectroscopic, and structural study starting from monosubstituted benzene derivatives as references over ortho-disubstituted derivates to the sixfold-substituted derivatives. Whereas in salicylaldehydes, ortho- Schiff bases, and 2,4,6-tricarbonyl-phloroglucinols the phenolic O-protonated tautomers represent the energy minima, the N-protonated tautomers represent the energy minima in 2,4,6-triiminephloroglucinols. The analysis provides a keto-enamine resonance structure with six exocyclic double bonds to be dominant for these species reminiscent of [6]radialenes, which were termed heteroradialenes. These heteroradialenes are non-aromatic alicycles. However, the predominance of this resonance structure does not represent a sudden change going from the 2,4,6-tricarbonyl- to the 2,4,6-triimine-phloroglucinols, but a gradual increase of analogous resonance structure contributions is observed even in salicylaldehyde and ortho-Schiff bases demonstrating some hetero-orthoquinodimethane character. These changes are, besides in the molecular structures, well reflected in the IR spectra, which can therefore be used as a simple tool to probe the electronic structures in these systems. Interruption of the delocalized p system supporting the intramolecular hydrogen bond, i. e. going from 2,4,6-triimine- to 2,4,6-triamine-substituted phloroglucinols, reestablishes an O-protonated aromatic phloroglucinol system.

Switching from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic coupling in heptanuclear [Mt6Mc]n+ complexes by going from an achiral to a chiral triplesalen ligand

The heptanuclear complexes [(chand^RR)₂M^t₆{Fe^II(CN)₆}]²⁺ (M^t = Mn^III, Fe^III) exhibit ferromagnetic interactions due to a more efficient spin-polarization mechanism compared to the complexes [(talen^t-Bu2)₂M^t₆{M^c(CN)₆}]ⁿ⁺ with antiferromagnetic interactions.