Distortion Pathways of Transition Metal Coordination Polyhedra Induced by Chelating Topology

A continuous shape measures analysis of the coordination polyhedra of a host of transition metal complexes with bi- and multidentate ligands discloses the distortion pathway associated with each particular topology of the chelate rings formed. The basic parameter that controls the degree of distortion is the metal-donor atom bond distance that induces nonideal bond angles due to the rigidity of the ligands. Thus, the degree of distortion within each family of complexes depends on the atomic size, on which the high- or low-spin state has a large effect. Special attention is therefore paid to several spin-crossover systems and to the enhanced distortions that go along with the transition from low- to high-spin state affected by temperature, light, or pressure. Several families of complexes show deviations from the expected distortion pathways in the high-spin state that can be associated to the onset of intermolecular interactions such as secondary coordination of counterions or solvent molecules. Also, significant displacement of counterions in an extended solid may result from the changes in metal-ligand bond distances when ligands are involved in intermolecular hydrogen bonding.

New low-spin Co(II) complexes with novel tripodal 1,1,1-tris(dimethylphosphinomethyl)ethane ligand: electron transfer kinetics and spectroscopic characterization of Co(II)P6 and Co(II)P3S3 ions in aqueous solution

Substitution-inert Co(II) complexes with tripodal 1,1,1-tris(dimethylphosphinomethyl)ethane were produced in aqueous solution by the controlled-potential electrolysis. EPR studies indicated that the Co(II)P6 and Co(II)P3S3 species are in the low-spin t62ge1g state. The analyses of the absorption spectra of the Co(II) species in solution indicated significant Jahn–Teller distortion in Co(II)P6 and Co(II)P3S3 ions as expected for the low-spin d7 electronic configuration, while less distortion was observed for the Co(II)S6 ion. Kinetic studies of the redox reactions involving these Co(III/II) species confirmed that the electron self-exchange reactions for the Co(III/II)P6 and Co(III/II)P3S3 couples are relatively fast (kex ~ 1 × 104 dm3 mol–1 s–1), which is consistent with the results for other low-spin – low-spin Co(III/II) couples. It was concluded that the nephelauxetic effect of the P-donor atom stabilizes the low-spin state in Co(II), and that the rather rapid electron exchange rates for these Co(III/II) couples were explained by the lack of the spin reorganization process required for the ordinary low-spin – high-spin Co(III/II) couples.Key words: cobalt(III/II), spin state, EPR study, kinetics, electron transfer.