High-performance Pyroelectric Property Accompanied by Spin Crossover in a Single Crystal of Fe(II) Complex

Pyroelectric materials hold significant potential for energy harvesting, sensing, and imaging applications. However, achieving high-performance pyroelectricity across a wide temperature range near room temperature remains a significant challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a single crystal of Fe(II) spin-crossover compound shows remarkable pyroelectric properties accompanied by a thermally controlled spin transition. In this material, the uniaxial alignment of polar molecules results in a polarization of the lattice. As the molecular geometry is modulated during a gradual spin transition, the polar axis experiences a colossal thermal expansion with a coefficient of 796×10-6 K-1. Consequently, the material's polarization undergoes significant modulation as a secondary pyroelectric effect. The considerable shift in polarization (pyroelectric coefficient, p=3.7-22 nC K-1cm-2), coupled with a low dielectric constant (ϵ'=4.4-5.4) over a remarkably wide temperature range of 298 to 400 K, suggests this material is a high-performance pyroelectric. The demonstration of pyroelectricity combined with magnetic switching in this study will inspire further investigations in the field of molecular electronics and magnetism.

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.

Cooperative Spin Crossover above Room Temperature in the Iron(II) Cyanoborohydride-Pyrazine Complex

Hysteretic spin crossover in coordination complexes of 3d-metal ions represents one of the most spectacular phenomena of molecular bistability. In this paper we describe a self-assembly of pyrazine (pz) and Fe(BH₃CN)₂ that afforded the new 2D coordination polymer [Fe(pz)₂(BH₃CN)₂]_∞. It undergoes an abrupt, hysteretic spin crossover (SCO) with a T_1/2 of 338 K (heating) and 326 K (cooling) according to magnetic susceptibility measurements. Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed a complete transition between the low-spin (LS) and the high-spin (HS) states of the iron centers. This LS-to-HS transition induced an increase of the unit cell volume by 10.6%. Meanwhile, a modulation of multiple [C-H^δ+···H^δ--B] dihydrogen bonds stimulates a contraction in direction c (2.2%). The simplicity of the synthesis, mild temperatures of transition, a pronounced thermochromism, stability upon thermal cycling, a striking volume expansion upon SCO, and an easy processability to composite films make this new complex an attractive material for switchable components of diverse applications.

Spin crossover in mononuclear Fe(II) complexes based on a tetradentate ligand

Three isostructural complexes with the formula [Fe(L_5Me)(NCE)₂]: L_5Me  =  N,N'-bis(5-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine and E  =  S (1-S), E  =  Se (1-Se), E  =  BH₃ (1-BH ₃ ) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal x-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility and DSC studies. All the three derivatives are spin crossover (SCO) active, showing complete one-step spin conversion. The SCO midpoint temperatures (T _1/2) are 193 K for 1-S, 226 K for 1-Se, and 330 K for 1-BH ₃ , which are among the highest values for the homologous Fe(II)-NCE complexes with comparable tetradentate ligands. The almost linear Fe-N  ≡  C(E) angles are consistent with the strong ligand field (LF) strength imposed by these NCE^- co-ligands. Strong hydrogen-like bonding N-H…E was observed to connect the molecules into 2D supramolecular sheets parallel to the bc plane. However, such supramolecular interaction is not sufficient enough to transmit strong cooperativity. A discussion on the factors governing the LF strength and the cooperativity has been made, based on the comparison of analogous complexes and also based on UV-vis spectroscopy studies of the Ni(II) complexes.

Slow Dynamics of the Spin-Crossover Process in an Apparent High-Spin Mononuclear FeII Complex

A mononuclear Fe^II complex that shows a high-spin (S=2) paramagnetic behavior at all temperatures (with standard temperature-scan rates, ≈1 K min^-1 ) has, in fact, a low-spin (S=0) ground state below 100 K. This low-spin state is not easily accessible due to the extremely slow dynamics of the spin-crossover process-a full relaxation from the metastable high-spin state to the low-spin ground state takes more than 5 h below 80 K. Bidirectional photo-switching of the Fe^II state is achieved reproducibly by two selective irradiations (at 530-590 and 830-850 nm). The slow dynamics of the spin-crossover and the strong structural cooperativity result in a remarkably wide 95-K hysteresis loop induced by both temperature and selected light stimuli.

Investigation of SCO property–structural relationships in a family of mononuclear Fe(ii) complexes

Six complexes with the formula [FeL(NCE)₂] (E = S, Se, BH₃) have been reported. A survey of the magneto-structural relationship has been conducted.

Effect of ligand substituents on nickel and copper [N4] complexes: electronic and redox behavior, and reactivity towards protons

The ligand substituents have a major effect on the redox potentials, catalytic efficiency and robustness of the complexes in HER.

Substituents drive ligand rearrangements, giving dinuclear rather than mononuclear complexes, and tune CoII/III redox potential

Three new tetradentate imine ligands, HLHBr, HLClH and HLBrH (HLR1R2) were synthesised by 2 : 1 condensation of the appropriately n-halo substituted pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde (5-bromo-4a, 6-bromo-4b or 6-chloro-4c) with 1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol (5). Reactions of each of these three ligands with one equivalent of cobalt(ii) tetrafluoroborate resulted in the formation of three N4O2 coordinated cobalt(ii) complexes: the anticipated mononuclear complex [CoII(HLHBr)(MeOH)2](BF4)2 (1), and two unexpected dinuclear complexes, [CoII2(LBrH-BF2OMe)]2(BF4)2 (2) and [CoII2(LClH-BF2OMe)]2(BF4)2 (3). Dinuclear 2 and 3 result from complexation of cobalt(ii) to the ligands derived from the sterically demanding 6-halo substituted pyridine-2-carboxaldehydes (4b and 4c) undergoing rearrangement, reacting with MeOH and a BF4 anion, resulting in a pair of borate ester bridges between the two cobalt(ii) centres. A similar type of rearrangement is proposed for the PF6 analogues. Cyclic voltammetry in acetonitrile reveals that cobalt(ii) complexes 1-3 undergo a quasi-reversible oxidation: Em = 0.57, 0.38 and 0.29 V vs. 0.01 AgNO3/Ag, respectively. The observed Em value is tuned by the ligand, with the 6-chloro-substituent leading to the lowest Em value being observed for the corresponding cobalt complex, 3, rather than for either of the complexes of the n-bromo-substituted ligands (n = 6 or 5), 2 and 1.

The influence of NCE− (E = S, Se, BH3) ligands on the temperature of spin crossover in a family of iron(ii) mononuclear complexes

The temperature of spin crossover was systematically tuned by replacing the NCE⁻ (E = S, Se, BH₃) co-ligands in a family of mononuclear complexes.

Mononuclear Fe(II) Complexes Based on the Methylpyrazinyl-Diamine Ligand: Chemical-, Thermo- and Photocontrol of Their Magnetic Switchability

Two new mononuclear Fe(II) complexes, [Fe(^2MeL_pz)(NCX)₂] (L = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis((pyrazin-2-yl)methyl)-1,2-ethanediamine and X = S (1), BH₃ (2)), have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetic, optical reflectivity, and photomagnetic measurements. They have similar FeN₆ coordination environments offered by the tetradentate ligand with a cis-α conformation and two NCX^- coligands in cis positions. However, 1 and 2 have different molecular arrangements and crystal packings, and are isolated in orthorhombic Pbnb and monoclinic C2/c space groups, respectively. 1 remains in a high spin state (S = 2) over all temperatures while 2 undergoes a spin transition around 168 K with a small thermal hysteresis of about 0.4 K (at a temperature scan rate of 1.3 K min^-1). This phase transition, which can also be optically detected due to the associated marked change of the sample color, occurs between two structurally characterized phases, which exhibit Fe(II) complexes in their high spin and low spin states at high and low temperatures, respectively. The reversible photoswitching between these two states has also been confirmed at low temperatures using well separated wavelength irradiations.

Co–Co and Co–Fe cyano-bridged pentanuclear clusters based on a methylpyrazinyl-diamine tetradentate ligand: spin crossover and metal substitution effects

A pentanuclear [Co^II₃Co^III₂] cluster complex has been developed by a solvothermal synthesis. Its highly stable metal-mixed Fe–Co derivatives display robust spin crossover (T_1/2 = 268 K) controlled by the degree of substitution.