The Electronic Structure and Bonding of the First p-Block Paddlewheel Complex, Bi2(trifluoroacetate)4, and Comparison to d-Block Transition Metal Paddlewheel Complexes: A Photoelectron and Density Functional Theory Study

Paddlewheel Complexes with Azulenes: Electronic Interaction between Metal Centers and Equatorial Ligands

Rhodium dinuclear complexes (1-3) with azulene moieties as equatorial ligands were obtained by reacting Rh₂ (OAc)₄ with guaiazulene-2-carboxylic acid, azulene-2-carboxylic acid, and azulene-1-carboxylic acid, respectively. The molecular structures in their crystalline states were determined by X-ray diffraction to be 1 ⋅ (H₂ O)₂ , 1 ⋅ (MeCN)₂ , 2 ⋅ (MeCN)₂ , and 3 ⋅ (DMF)₂ , which were coordinated with the crystallization solvent at the axial positions. Among these, the crystal packing of 1 ⋅ (H₂ O)₂ , 1 ⋅ (MeCN)₂ , and 3 ⋅ (DMF)₂ revealed the formation of one-dimensional stacked chains nearly along the axial direction and of two-dimensional stacked sheets along the equatorial direction. In addition, it was found that 1 ⋅ (H₂ O)₂ contained cavities that could adsorb CO₂ , thereby inducing structural changes. Furthermore, redox measurements revealed the stepwise one-electron redox behaviors of these complexes, indicating the intramolecular interactions between the azulene units. In addition, transient absorption measurements suggested the presence of an ultrafast intersystem crossing caused by the heavy-atom effect of rhodium, and an extended lifetime of the triplet state due to the energy migration among the azulene ligands.

1,2,4-Triazolato paddlewheel dibismuth complexes with very short Bi(ii)–Bi(ii) bonds: bismuth(iii) oxidation of 1,2,4-triazolato anions into neutral N-1,2,4-triazolyl radicals

Bismuth(iii) oxidation of 1,2,4-triazolato anions allowed paddlewheel 1,2,4-triazolato dibismuth complexes to be isolated and the reaction involved the neutral N-1,2,4-triazolyl radicals that were evidenced by EPR analysis.

Paddlewheel 1,2,4-diazaphospholide dibismuthanes with very short bismuth-bismuth single bonds

One-electron oxidation of the 1,2,4-diazaphospholide anion [3,5-R2dp](-) by BiCl3 generated several remarkable paddlewheel dibismuthanes [L2(Bi-Bi)L2] (L = η(1),η(1)-3,5-R2dp, R = tBu, iPr, or Ph) with very short Bi-Bi single bond lengths (2.7964(4)-2.8873(3) Å).