Synthesis, structures and magnetic properties of Fe(ii) and Co(ii) thiocyanato coordination compounds: on the importance of the diamagnetic counterparts for structure determination

Synthesis, crystal structure and properties of tetra-kis-(pyridine-3-carbo-nitrile)-dithio-cyanatoiron(II) and of diaqua-bis-(pyridine-3-carbo-nitrile)-di-thio-cyanatoiron(II) pyridine-3-carbo-nitrile monosolvate

The reaction of iron thio-cyanate with 3-cyano-pyridine (C6H4N2) leads to the formation of two compounds with the composition [Fe(NCS)2(C6H4N2)4] (1) and [Fe(NCS)2(C6H4N2)2(H2O)2]·2C6H4N2 (2). The asymmetric unit of 1 consists of one iron cation, two thio-cyanate anions and four 3-cyano-pyridine ligands in general positions. The iron cation is octa-hedrally coordinated by two N-bonded thio-cyanate anions and four 3-cyano-pyridine ligands. The complexes are arranged in columns along the crystallographic c-axis direction and are linked by weak C-H⋯N inter-actions. In 2, the asymmetric unit consists of one iron cation on a center of inversion as well as one thio-cyanate anion, one 3-cyano-pyridine ligand, one water ligand and one 3-cyano-pyridine solvate mol-ecule in general positions. The iron cation is octa-hedrally coordinated by two N-bonded thio-cyanate anions, two cyano-pyridine ligands and two water ligands. O-H⋯N and C-H⋯S hydrogen bonding is observed between the water ligands and the solvent 3-cyano-pyridine mol-ecules. In the crystal structure, alternating layers of the iron complexes and the solvated 3-cyano-pyridine mol-ecules are observed. Powder X-ray (PXRD) investigations reveal that both compounds were obtained as pure phases and from IR spectroscopic measurements conclusions on the coordination mode of the thio-canate anions and the cyano-group were made. Thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermoanalysis (DTA) of 1 indicate the formation of a compound with the composition {[Fe(NCS)2]3(C6H4N2)4}n that is isotypic to the corresponding Cd compound already reported in the literature. TG/DTA of 2 show several mass losses. The first mass loss corresponds to the removal of the two water ligands leading to the formation of 1, which transforms into {[Fe(NCS)2]3(C6H4N2)4}n, upon further heating.

Thermodynamically metastable chain and stable layered Co(NCS)2 coordination polymers: thermodynamic relations and magnetic properties

Reaction of Co(NCS)2 with 4-bromopyridine leads to the formation of discrete complexes with the composition Co(NCS)2(4-bromopyridine)4·(CH3CN)0.67 (1), Co(NCS)2(4-bromopyridine)2(H2O)2 (2), Co(NCS)2(4-bromopyridine)2(CH3OH)2 (3) and Co(NCS)2(4-bromopyridine)2(CH3CN)2 (4). Upon heating compounds 2 and 4 transform into a crystalline product with the composition Co(NCS)2(4-bromopyridine)2 (5-I) that also can easily be obtained from solution. In this compound, the Co cations are linked by single μ-1,3-bridging thiocyanate anions into layers. Thermal decomposition of 3 leads to a second isomer (5-II), which is thermodynamically metastable and can also be synthesized from solution under kinetic control. In contrast to 5-I, the Co cations are linked by pairs of anionic ligands into linear chains. The magnetic exchange is very weak in 5-I, but much stronger and ferromagnetic along the linear chains in 5-II. AF ordering in 5-II is reached at 3.05 K, and magnetic relaxation is observed at the metamagnetic transition with an Arrhenius barrier of 17.1(3) cm-1. Ab initio computational studies reveal a different type of magnetic anisotropy to be present in the two crystallographically - independent Co centers in 5-II.

Structural diversity in Cd(NCS)2-3-cyanopyridine coordination compounds: synthesis, crystal structures and thermal properties

Five new compounds with the compositions [Cd(NCS)2(3-cyanopyridine)2] n  · 3-cyanopyridine (1), [Cd(NCS)2(3-cyanopyridine)2] n  · 1/3 3-cyanopyridine (2), [Cd(NCS)2(3-cyanopyridine)2] n (3), {[Cd(NCS)2]2(3-cyanopyridine)3} n (4), and {[Cd(NCS)2]3(3-cyanopyridine)4} n (5) have been obtained by the reaction of Cd(NCS)2 with 3-cyanopyridine in different solvents. While large amounts of compounds 1–4 could be prepared as powders, only a few single crystals of 5 were accidently obtained. Thermoanalytical investigations have shown that 4 could also be obtained by annealing of 1 or 2 and that under slightly different conditions 5 could be obtained as part of a mixture with 4. The crystal structures of all compounds can be divided in two sets of compounds. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 consist of chains in which the Cd cations show three different coordination environments and in which the coligands are only terminally bonded. In the structures of 4 and 5 similar chains are observed, which are connected into layers via some of the 3-cyanopyridine coligands.

Synthesis, crystal structure and properties of Cd(NCS)2 coordination compounds with two different Cd coordination modes

Reaction of Cd(NCS)2 with 4-methoxypyridine leads to the formation of four new compounds, of which one crystallizes in two different polymorphs. In Cd(NCS)2(4-methoxypyridine)4·(4-methoxypyridine)2 (1) and Cd(NCS)2(4-methoxypyridine)4 (2-I and 2-II) discrete complexes are found, in which the Cd cations are octahedrally coordinated by four 4-methoxypyridine co-ligands and two terminally N-bonded thiocyanate anions. For the polymorphs 2-I and 2-II no single crystals are available and therefore, the corresponding Mn(II) compound (2-I-Mn) was prepared, which is isotypic to 2-I, as proven by a Rietveld refinement. The crystal structure of 2-II was solved and refined from XRPD data. In [Cd(NCS)2(4-methoxypyridine)2] n (3), the Cd cations are also octahedrally coordinated but linked into linear chains by pairs of thiocyanate anions with all ligands in trans-position. {[Cd(NCS)2]3(4-methoxypyridine)5} n (4) also consists of chains but two different Cd coordination modes are observed. Two of the three crystallographically independent Cd cations show an octahedral coordination with a trans- or cis-arrangement of the N and S atoms of the anionic ligands, whereas the third one is in a distorted square-pyramidal coordination, with cis-coordination of the thiocyanate N and S atoms. Measurements using simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry of 2-I and 2-II show different heating rate dependent mass steps, in which the co-ligands are removed. In some of the residues obtained after the respective TG steps compound 3 was detected but no phase pure samples could be obtained.

Cd(II) and Zn(II) thiocyanate coordination compounds with 3-ethylpyridine: synthesis, crystal structures and properties

Reaction of Cd(NCS)2 and Zn(NCS)2 with 3-ethylpyridine leads to the formation of compounds of compositions M(NCS)2(3-ethylpyridine)4 (M=Cd, 1-Cd; Zn, 1-Zn) and M(NCS)2(3-ethylpyridine)2 (M=Cd, 2-Cd; Zn, 2-Zn). 1-Cd and 1-Zn are isotypic and form discrete complexes in which the metal cations are octahedrally coordinated by two trans-coordinating N-bonded thiocyanate anions and four 3-ethylpyridine co-ligands. In 2-Cd the cations are also octahedrally coordinated but linked into chains by pairs of μ-1,3-bridging anionic ligands. 2-Zn is built up of discrete complexes, in which the Zn cation is tetrahedrally coordinated by two N-bonded thiocyanate anions and two 3-ethylpyridine co-ligands. Compounds 1-Cd, 2-Cd and 2-Zn can be prepared in a pure state, whereas 1-Zn is unstable and transforms on storage into 2-Zn. If 1-Cd and 1-Zn are heated, a transformation into 2-Cd, respectively 2-Zn is observed. Luminescence measurements reveal that 1-Cd, 2-Cd and 2-Zn emit light in the blue spectral range with maxima at, respectively, 21724, 21654 and 22055 cm−1, assigned to ligand-based luminescence.

Crystal structure of bis-(isonicotinamide-κN (1))bis-(thio-cyanato-κN)zinc

The asymmetric unit of the title complex, [Zn(SCN)2(C6H6N2O)2], consists of one Zn(2+) cation located on a twofold rotation axis, as well as of one thio-cyanate anion and one neutral isonicotinamide ligand, both occupying general positions. The Zn(2+) cation is tetra-hedrally coordinated into a discrete complex by the N atoms of two symmetry-related thio-cyanate anions and by the pyridine N atoms of two isonicotinamide ligands. The complexes are linked by inter-molecular C-H⋯O and N-H⋯O, and weak inter-molecular N-H⋯S hydrogen-bonding inter-actions into a three-dimensional network.

Crystal structure of catena-poly[[[bis-(pyridine-4-carbo-thio-amide-κN (1))cadmium]-di-μ-thio-cyanato-κ(2) N:S;κ(2) S:N] methanol disolvate]

The asymmetric unit of the polymeric title compound, {[Cd(NCS)2(C6H6N2S)]·2CH3OH} n , consists of one cadmium(II) cation that is located on a centre of inversion as well as one thio-cyanate anion, one pyridine-4-carbo-thio-amide ligand and one methanol mol-ecule in general positions. The Cd(II) cations are octa-hedrally coordinated by the pyridine N atom of two pyridine-4-carbo-thio-amide ligands and by the S and N atoms of four thio-cyanate anions and are linked into chains along [010] by pairs of anionic ligands. These chains are further linked into layers extending along (201) by inter-molecular N-H⋯O and O-H⋯S hydrogen bonds. One of the amino H atoms of the pyridine-4-carbo-thio-amide ligand is hydrogen-bonded to the O atom of a methanol mol-ecule, and a symmetry-related methanol mol-ecule is the donor group to the S atom of another pyridine-4-carbo-thio-amide ligand whereby each of the pyridine-4-carbo-thio-amide ligands forms two pairs of centrosymmetric N-H⋯S and O-H⋯S hydrogen bonds. The methanol mol-ecules are equally disordered over two orientations.

Synthesis, structures, magnetic, and theoretical investigations of layered Co and Ni thiocyanate coordination polymers

Two new ferromagnetic layered Co(ii) and Ni(ii) thiocyanate coordination polymers were synthesized, structurally characterized and investigated for their magnetic behavior using susceptibility measurements and theoretical methods.

Synthesis, structure and properties of [Co(NCS)2(4-(4-chlorobenzyl)pyridine)2]n, that shows slow magnetic relaxations and a metamagnetic transition

[Co(NCS)₂(4-(4-chlorobenzyl)pyridine)₂]_n shows a metamagnetic behavior and slow relaxations of magnetization indicative of a single chain magnet behavior.

Bis(4-pyridyl)mercury – a new linear tecton in crystal engineering: coordination polymers and co-crystallization processes

Three new coordination polymers have been obtained using bis(4-pyridyl)mercury (py₂Hg) as a spacer: [Cu(Hmea)₂(py₂Hg)](ClO₄)₂·2(py₂Hg) (1), [Cu₂(pa)₂(py₂Hg)(ClO₄)₂]·0.5(py₂Hg)·H₂O (2), and [Cu₂(pa)₂(py₂Hg)₂](BF₄)₂ (3) (Hmea = monoethanolamine; Hpa = propanolamine).

A Co(II) thiocyanato coordination polymer with 4-(3-phenylpropyl)pyridine: the influence of the co-ligand on the magnetic properties

Three new coordination compounds with the composition Co(NCS)2(4-(3-phenylpropyl)pyridine)4 (1), Co(NCS)2(4-(3-phenylpropyl)pyridine)4(H2O)2 (2) and [Co(NCS)2(4-(3-phenylpropyl)pyridine)2]n (3) were prepared and investigated. The crystal structures of compounds 1 and 2 consist of discrete complexes, in which the Co(II) cations are coordinated by only terminal N-bonded thiocyanato anions. In the crystal structure 3 of the Co(II) cations are linked into chains by pairs of μ-1,3-bridging thiocyanato anions. DTA-TG measurements on compound 1 show decomposition without the formation of 3 as an intermediate. In contrast, on heating compound 2 two water molecules are removed in the first step leading to the formation of compound 3 in the second step. Magnetic measurements on reveal ferromagnetic interactions between Co(II) ions along chains with J = 29.5(1) K, and also ferromagnetic interactions between chains with zJ' = 0.38(1) K. The ferromagnetic transition is observed at 3.3 K, which is confirmed by specific heat measurements. The temperature dependent ac susceptibility shows slow relaxations above and below 3.3 K. The results for this quasi-one dimensional Ising ferromagnet, having also some features of a cluster spin-glass, are compared with those of related compounds.