Engineered π⋯π interactions favour supramolecular dimers X@[FeL3]2 (X = Cl, Br, I): solid state and solution structure

Ditopic bis-pyrazolylpyridine ligands usually react with divalent metal ions (M2+) to produce dinuclear triple-stranded helicates [M2L3]4+ or, via π⋯π interactions, dimers of monoatomic complexes ([ML3]2)4+. The introduction of an additional benzene ring at each end of ligand L increases the number of aromatic contacts within the supramolecular aggregate by 40%, driving the self-recognition process in an irreversible manner. Consequently, the mixing of new bis-pyrazolylquinoline L2 with FeX2 salts leads to crystallization of the tripartite high-spin assemblies (X@[Fe(L2)3]2)3+ (X = Cl, Br or I). The aggregates exhibit exceptional stability, as confirmed by a combination of paramagnetic 1H NMR techniques, demonstrating their persistence in solution. Our investigations further reveal that the guests Br- and I- are retained inside the associate in solution but Cl- is immediately released, resulting in the formation of the empty supramolecular dimer ([Fe(L2)3]2)4+.

Unravelling of a [High Spin-Low Spin] ↔ [Low Spin-High Spin] Equilibrium in Spin-Crossover Iron(II) Dinuclear Helicates Using Paramagnetic NMR Spectroscopy

Spin-crossover between high-spin (HS) and low-spin (LS) states of selected transition metal ions in polynuclear and polymeric compounds is behind their use as multistep switchable materials in breakthrough electronic and spintronic devices. We report the first successful attempt to observe the dynamics of a rarely found broken-symmetry spin state in binuclear complexes, which mixes the states [HS-LS] and [LS-HS] on a millisecond timescale. The slow exchange between these two states, which was identified by paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy in solutions of two spin-crossover iron(II) binuclear helicates that are amenable to molecular design, opens a path to double quantum dot cellular automata for information storage and processing.

Coordination [CoII2] and [CoIIZnII] Helicates Showing Slow Magnetic Relaxation

The slow magnetic relaxation of Co^II ions in the elusive intermediate geometry between the trigonal prism and antiprism has been studied on the new [Co₂L₃]⁴⁺ and [CoZnL₃]⁴⁺ coordination helicates [L is a bis(pyrazolylpyridine) ligand]. Solution paramagnetic ¹H NMR and solid-state magnetization measurements unveil single-molecule-magnet behavior with small axial anisotropy, as predicted previously.

Qualitative Guest Sensing via Iron(II) Triazole Complexes

The pyridazine-pyridine triazole-based Rat ligand, L^pydzpy [4-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(3-pyridazinyl)-5-(2-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole], is potentially ditopic. Nevertheless, L^pydzpy is shown herein to exclusively form mononuclear iron(II) complexes, [Fe^II(L^pydzpy)₂(NCE)₂]·solvent, in the presence of coordinating NCE anions (E = S or Se). Specifically, a new family of 10 mononuclear complexes, in which L^pydzpy binds in a monotopic bidentate manner, has been made: two solvent-free complexes, [Fe^II(L^pydzpy)₂(NCS)₂] (1) and [Fe^II(L^pydzpy)₂(NCSe)₂] (2); six solvatomorphs, 1·4CH₃CN, 2·4CH₃CN, 1·2.25CH₃CN, 2·3CH₃CN, 2·tetrahydrofuran, and 2·CHCl₃; and a pair of desolvated polymorphs, 1' and 2'. Seven of them are spin crossover-active, the exceptions being 1, 2, and 2'. This is confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) for 1, 2, 1·4CH₃CN, and 2·4CH₃CN and is consistent with variable-temperature optical microscopy observations on single crystals of 1·4CH₃CN and 2·4CH₃CN and on samples of 1' and 2'. Powder XRD, thermogravimetric analysis, and solid-state magnetometry reveal that desolvated 1' and 2' are capable of absorbing and desorbing a range of volatile guests: CH₃CN in both cases and also tetrahydrofuran and CHCl₃ in the case of 2'.

Deciphering crystal packing effects in the spin crossover of six [FeII(2-pic)3]Cl2 solvatomorphs

Six isostructural solvatomorphs of the same Fe(ii) complex have been reported to display completely different SCO transitions due to tiny differences in their crystal environments. In this paper, we unravel the reasons.

Encapsulation of a CrIII Single-Ion Magnet within an FeII Spin-Crossover Supramolecular Host

Single functional molecules are regarded as future components of nanoscale spintronic devices. Supramolecular coordination chemistry provides unlimited resources to implement multiple functions to individual molecules. A novel coordination [Fe₂ ] helicate exhibiting spin-crossover is demonstrated to be ideally suited to encapsulate a [Cr(ox)₃ ]^3- complex anion (ox=oxalate), unveiling for the first-time single ion slow relaxation of the magnetization for this metal. A possibility of tuning the dynamics of this relaxation as well as the performance of the Cr^III center as qubit arises from the observation that metastable high spin Fe^II centers from the host can be generated by irradiation with green light at low temperature.

Tuning the Spin States of Two Apical Iron(II) Ions in a Pentanuclear Iron(II) Cluster Helicate through the Choice of Anions

Spin-crossover clusters with iron(II) high nuclearity are rare. By using 3,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (bptH) as the ligand with two bidentate chelating sites, we successfully obtained three pentanuclear iron(II) cluster helicate compounds [{FeII(μ-bpt)3}2FeII3(μ3-O)][FeII2(μ-Br)(μ-bpt)(NCS)4(H2O)]·2H2O·C2H5OH (1), [{FeII(μ-bpt)3}2FeII3(μ3-O)][FeII2(μ-bpt)2(NCS)4] (2), and [{FeII(μ-bpt)3}2FeII3(μ3-O)]I2·2C2H5OH (3). Research on single-crystal structure and magnetism has indicated that tuning the spin state of two iron(II) ions in axial direction is successfully realized by regulating the different counter anions: one apical [FeII(bpt)3]− unit exhibits spin-crossover behavior while the other [FeII(bpt)3]− unit remains in low spin state in 1, both apical ions are of high spin states in 2, and are of low spin states in 3.