Polymorphic copper iodide clusters: insights into the mechanochromic luminescence properties

An in-depth study of mechanochromic and thermochromic luminescent copper iodide clusters exhibiting structural polymorphism is reported and gives new insights into the origin of the mechanochromic luminescence properties. The two different crystalline polymorphs exhibit distinct luminescence properties with one being green emissive and the other one being yellow emissive. Upon mechanical grinding, only one of the polymorphs exhibits great modification of its emission from green to yellow. Interestingly, the photophysical properties of the resulting partially amorphous crushed compound are closed to those of the other yellow polymorph. Comparative structural and optical analyses of the different phases including a solution of clusters permit us to establish a correlation between the Cu-Cu bond distances and the luminescence properties. In addition, the local structure of the [Cu4I4P4] cluster cores has been probed by (31)P and (65)Cu solid-state NMR analysis, which readily indicates that the grinding process modifies the phosphorus and copper atoms environments. The mechanochromic phenomenon is thus explained by the disruption of the crystal packing within intermolecular interactions inducing shortening of the Cu-Cu bond distances in the [Cu4I4] cluster core and eventually modification of the emissive state. These results definitely establish the role of cuprophilic interactions in the mechanochromism of copper iodide clusters. More generally, this study constitutes a step further into the understanding of the mechanism involved in the mechanochromic luminescent properties of metal-based compounds.

Slow relaxation in a one-dimensional rational assembly of antiferromagnetically coupled [Mn4] single-molecule magnets

Four discrete Mn(III)/Mn(II) tetranuclear complexes with a double-cuboidal core, [Mn(4)(hmp)(6)(CH(3)CN)(2)(H(2)O)(4)](ClO(4))(4).2CH(3)CN (1), [Mn(4)(hmp)(6)(H(2)O)(4)](ClO(4))(4).2H(2)O (2), [Mn(4)(hmp)(6)(H(2)O)(2)(NO(3))(2)](ClO(4))(2).4H(2)O (3), and [Mn(4)(hmp)(6)(Hhmp)(2)](ClO(4))(4).2CH(3)CN (4), were synthesized by reaction of Hhmp (2-hydroxymethylpyridine) with Mn(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O in the presence of tetraethylammonium hydroxide and subsequent addition of NaNO(3) (3) or an excess of Hhmp (4). Direct current (dc) magnetic measurements show that both Mn(2+)-Mn(3+) and Mn(3+)-Mn(3+) magnetic interactions are ferromagnetic in 1-3 leading to an S(T) = 9 ground state for the Mn(4) unit. Furthermore, these complexes are single-molecule magnets (SMMs) clearly showing both thermally activated and ground-state tunneling regimes. Slight changes in the [Mn(4)] core geometry result in an S(T) = 1 ground state in 4. A one-dimensional assembly of [Mn(4)] units, catena-{[Mn(4)(hmp)(6)(N(3))(2)](ClO(4))(2)} (5), was obtained in the same synthetic conditions with the subsequent addition of NaN(3). Double chairlike N(3)(-) bridges connect identical [Mn(4)] units into a chain arrangement. This material behaves as an Ising assembly of S(T) = 9 tetramers weakly antiferromagnetically coupled. Slow relaxation of the magnetization is observed at low temperature for the first time in an antiferromagnetic chain, following an activated behavior with Delta(tau)/k(B) = 47 K and tau(0) = 7 x 10(-)(11) s. The observation of this original thermally activated relaxation process is induced by finite-size effects and in particular by the noncompensation of spins in segments of odd-number units. Generalizing the known theories on the dynamic properties of polydisperse finite segments of antiferromagnetically coupled Ising spins, the theoretical expressions of the characteristic energy gaps Delta(xi) and Delta(tau) were estimated and successfully compared to the experimental values.

PCNCP ligands in the chromium-catalyzed oligomerization of ethylene: tri- versus tetramerization

Chromium(III) complexes bearing R'N(CH2PR2)2 (PCNCP) ligands have been prepared. Upon activation with methylaluminoxane, these complexes proved to be effective in the selective tri- and tetramerization of ethylene. The formation of either 1-hexene or 1-octene was found to be highly dependent on the steric bulk of the substituents R on the phosphine moieties. This observation was rationalized by using density functional theory calculations on selected steps of the metallacyclic mechanism of the ethylene oligomerization reaction.

Highly efficient P–N nickel(ii) complexes for the dimerisation of ethylene

New P-N ligands featuring a phosphino group and an iminophosphorane moiety were successfully employed in the nickel-catalysed dimerisation of ethylene.

[NH4]2Mn3(H2O)4[Mo(CN)7]2·4H2O: Tuning Dimensionality and Ferrimagnetic Ordering Temperature by Cation Substitution

[NH(4)](2)Mn(3)(H(2)O)(4)[Mo(CN)(7)](2).4H(2)O (1) has been synthesized by slow diffusion of aqueous solutions containing K(4)[Mo(CN)(7)].2H(2)O, [Mn(H(2)O)(6)](NO(3))(2), and (NH(4))NO(3). Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group. The basic motif of the three-dimensional structure consists of a Mo1-Mn1 gridlike sheet parallel to the bc plane. Two of these sheets are connected through CN-Mn2-NC linkages to form a bilayer reminiscent of the K(2)Mn(3)(H(2)O)(6)[Mo(CN)(7)](2).6H(2)O (2) two-dimensional structure. In 1, [NH(4)](+) cations allow these bilayers to be connected through direct Mo1-CN-Mn1 bridges to form a three-dimensional network, whereas in 2, they are isolated by (H(2)O)K(+) cations. As shown by the magnetic measurements, this increase of dimensionality by counterion substitution induces an enhancement of the ferrimagnetic critical temperature from 39 K in 2 to 53 K in 1.