Pyridyl-Thioethers as Capping Ligands for the Design of Heteroleptic Fe(II) Complexes with Spin-Crossover Behavior

Mononuclear heteroleptic complexes [Fe(tpma)(bimz)](ClO4)2 (1a), [Fe(tpma)(bimz)](BF4)2 (1b), [Fe(bpte)(bimz)](ClO4)2 (2a), and [Fe(bpte)(bimz)](BF4)2 (2b) (tpma = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, bpte = S,S′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thioethane, bimz = 2,2′-biimidazoline) were prepared by reacting the corresponding Fe(II) salts with stoichiometric amounts of the ligands. All complexes exhibit temperature-induced spin crossover (SCO), but the SCO temperature is substantially lower for complexes 1a and 1b as compared to 2a and 2b, indicating the stronger ligand field afforded by the N2S2-coordinating bpte ligand relative to the N4-coordinating tpma. Our findings suggest that ligands with mixed N/S coordination can be employed to discover new SCO complexes and to tune the transition temperature of known SCO compounds by substituting for purely N-coordinating ligands.

Intriguing Heteroleptic ZnII bis(dipyrrinato) Emitters in the Far-Red Region With Large Pseudo-Stokes Shift for Bioimaging

Novel heteroleptic ZnII bis(dipyrrinato) complexes were prepared as intriguing emitters. With our tailor-made design, we achieved far-red emissive complexes with a photoluminescence quantum yield up to 45% in dimethylsulfoxide and 70% in toluene. This means that heteroleptic ZnII bis(dipyrrinato) complexes retain very intense emission also in polar solvents, in contrast to their homoleptic counterparts, which we prepared for comparing the photophysical properties. It is evident from the absorption and excitation spectra that heteroleptic complexes present the characteristic features of both ligands: the plain dipyrrin (Lp) and the π-extended dipyrrin (Lπ). On the contrary, the emission comes exclusively from the π-extended dipyrrin Lπ, suggesting an interligand nonradiative transition that causes a large pseudo-Stokes shift (up to 4,600 cm−1). The large pseudo-Stokes shifts and the emissive spectral region of these novel heteroleptic ZnII bis(dipyrrinato) complexes are of great interest for bioimaging applications. Thus, their high biocompatibiliy with four different cell lines make them appealing as new fluorophores for cell imaging.

Square-Planar Heteroleptic Complexes of α-Diimine-NiII-Catecholate Type: Intramolecular Ligand-to-Ligand Charge Transfer

Two heteroleptic NiII complexes combined the redox-active catecholate and 2,2′- bipyridine ligand platforms were synthesized to observe a photoinduced intramolecular ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LL’CT, HOMOcatecholate → LUMOα-diimine). A molecular design of compound [NiII(3,6-Cat)(bipy)]∙CH3CN (1) on the base of bulky 3,6-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone (3,6-DTBQ) was an annelation of the ligand with an electron donor glycol fragment, producing derivative [NiII(3,6-Catgly)(bipy)]∙CH2Cl2 (2), in order to influence the energy of LL’CT transition. A substantial longwave shift of the absorption peak was observed in the UV-Vis-NIR spectra of 2 compared with those in 1. In addition, the studied NiII derivatives demonstrated a pronounced negative solvatochromism, which was established using a broad set of solvents. The molecular geometry of both compounds can be ascribed as an insignificantly distorted square-planar type, and the π–π intermolecular stacking of the neighboring α-diimines is realized in a crystal packing. There is a lamellar crystal structure for complex 1, whereas the perpendicular T-motifs with the inter-stacks attractive π–π interactions form the packing of complex 2. The redox-active nature of ligand systems was clearly shown through the electrochemical study: a quasi-reversible one-electron reduction of 2,2′-bipyridine and two reversible successive one-electron oxidative conversations (“catecholate dianion—o-benzosemiquinonato radical anion—neutral o-benzoquinone”) were detected.

Interplay of Halogen and Hydrogen Bonding in a Series of Heteroleptic iron(III) Complexes

<div>The influence of the halogen substituent on crystal packing and redox properties is investigated in a series of heteroleptic complexes [Fe(qsal-X)(dipic)]MeOH (qsal-X = 4-halogen-2-[(8-quinolylimino)methyl]phenolate; dipic = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate; X = F 1, Cl 2, Br 3 and I 4).</div><div>Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit triclinic symmetry (P1̅), whereas 3 and 4 crystallise in monoclinic P21/n. The crystal packing shows self-sorting of the ligands with - interactions between the qsal-X ligands and overlap of the dipic ligands to form a 1D chain, that is supported by C-H···O interactions. In 1 and 2, the cross-section of the 1D chain is square, while for 3 and 4, it is rectangular. In the former, the dipic ligands interact through C=O··· interactions, while - interactions are found in 3 and 4. Neighbouring chains are connected via - interactions involving the quinoline rings, but their relative position is driven by the preference of 1 and 2, for C-H···X interactions, whereas 3 and 4 form O···X halogen bonds. The nature and topology of the electron density of these interactions have been investigated using molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) mapping, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and ‘non-covalent interactions’ (NCI) analysis. UV-Visible experiments show MLCT bands associated with the qsal-X ligands, confirming the structure is stable in solution. Electrochemical studies reveal slight tuning of the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple showing a linear relationship between E° and the Hammett parameter σp.</div><div><br></div>

Interplay of Halogen and Hydrogen Bonding in a Series of Heteroleptic iron(III) Complexes

<div>The influence of the halogen substituent on crystal packing and redox properties is investigated in a series of heteroleptic complexes [Fe(qsal-X)(dipic)]MeOH (qsal-X = 4-halogen-2-[(8-quinolylimino)methyl]phenolate; dipic = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate; X = F 1, Cl 2, Br 3 and I 4).</div><div>Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit triclinic symmetry (P1̅), whereas 3 and 4 crystallise in monoclinic P21/n. The crystal packing shows self-sorting of the ligands with - interactions between the qsal-X ligands and overlap of the dipic ligands to form a 1D chain, that is supported by C-H···O interactions. In 1 and 2, the cross-section of the 1D chain is square, while for 3 and 4, it is rectangular. In the former, the dipic ligands interact through C=O··· interactions, while - interactions are found in 3 and 4. Neighbouring chains are connected via - interactions involving the quinoline rings, but their relative position is driven by the preference of 1 and 2, for C-H···X interactions, whereas 3 and 4 form O···X halogen bonds. The nature and topology of the electron density of these interactions have been investigated using molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) mapping, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and ‘non-covalent interactions’ (NCI) analysis. UV-Visible experiments show MLCT bands associated with the qsal-X ligands, confirming the structure is stable in solution. Electrochemical studies reveal slight tuning of the Fe3+/Fe2+ redox couple showing a linear relationship between E° and the Hammett parameter σp.</div><div><br></div>

Synthesis of a Carborane-substituted Bis(phosphanido) Cobaltate(I), Ligand Substitution, and Unusual P4 Fragmentation

Oxidative addition of the P‒P single bond of an ortho-carborane-derived 1,2-diphosphetane (1,2-C2(PMes)2B10H10) (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2) to cobalt(-I) and nickel(0) sources affords the first heteroleptic complexes of a carborane-bridged bis(phosphanido) ligand....

Record power conversion efficiencies for Iron (II)-NHC-sensitized DSSCs from rational molecular engineering and electrolyte optimization

Three Fe(II) pyridylNHC-carboxylic heteroleptic complexes with (ARM7 and ARM11) or without spacers (ARM13) between the pyridine and the COOH anchoring group have been designed and characterized with the aim to...