The high-spin low-spin equilibrium of iron(II) in FeII(TRIM)2(PhCO2) (ClO4): Observation and interpretation of a gradual 5T2↔1A1 spin-state conversion

Tetragonal distortion of structural defects in Cr3+ doped in several perovskites calculated from the EPR and optical data: a complete energy matrix study

This paper describes a novel application of a ligand field model in the study of the local molecular structure of the (CrF 6) (3-) coordination complex. Based on the ligand field model, the complete energy matrix which contains the electron-electron repulsion interaction, the ligand field interaction, the spin-orbit coupling interaction, and the Zeeman interaction, has been constructed for a d (3) configuration ion in a tetragonal ligand field. In order to study the relation between the EPR, the optical spectra, and the local lattice structures around the centers with tetragonal symmetry in AMF 3 codoped with Cr (3+) and Li (+) ions, a three-layer-ligand model is proposed. By diagonalizing the complete energy matrix and employing the three-layer-ligand model, the variational ranges of the local structural parameters around the Cr (3+) ions are determined, respectively. The results show that the local lattice structures around the Cr (3+) ions in AMF 3 exhibit a compressed distortion, and the magnitude of distorted parameter Delta R 1 of the Cr (3+)-V M center is different from that of the Cr (3+)-Li (+) center in AMF 3. The compressed distortion is ascribed to the fact that the radius of the Cr (3+) ion is smaller than those of M (2+) (M = Cd, Mg, Zn). Moreover, a linear correlation between the difference in the magnitude of distortion parameterDelta R for two different defect centers and the difference in the corresponding values of the zero-field-splitting parameter Delta D are found first.

A Range of Spin-Crossover TemperatureT1/2>300 K Results from Out-of-Sphere Anion Exchange in a Series of Ferrous Materials Based on the 4-(4-Imidazolylmethyl)-2-(2-imidazolylmethyl)imidazole (trim) Ligand, [Fe(trim)2]X2 (X=F, Cl, Br, I): Comparison of Experimental Results with Those Derived from Density Functional Theory Calculations

The synthesis and characterization of [FeII(trim)2]Cl2 (2), [FeII(trim)2]Br2MeOH (3), and [FeII(trim)2]I2MeOH (4), including the X-ray crystal structure determinations of 2 (50 and 293 K) and 4 (293 K), have been performed and their properties have been examined. In agreement with the magnetic susceptibility results, the Mössbauer data show the presence of high-spin (HS) to low-spin (LS) crossover with a range of T1/2 larger than 300 K (from approximately 20 K for [FeII(trim)2]F2 (1) to approximately 380 K for 4). All complexes in this series include the same [Fe(trim)2]2+ complex cation: the ligand field comprises a constant contribution from the trim ligands and a variable one originating from the out-of-sphere anions, which is transmitted to the metal center by the connecting imidazole rings and hydrogen bonds. The impressive variation in the intrinsic characteristics of the spin-crossover (SCO) phenomenon in this series is then interpreted as an inductive effect of the anions transmitted to the nitrogen donors through the hydrogen bonds. Based on this qualitative analysis, an increased inductive effect of the out-of-sphere anion corresponds to a decreased SCO temperature T1/2, in agreement with the experimental results. Electronic structure calculations with periodic boundary conditions have been performed that show the importance of intermolecular effects in tuning the ligand field, and thus in determining the transition temperature. Starting with the geometries obtained from the X-ray studies, the [FeII(trim)2]X2 complex molecules 1-4 have been investigated both for the single molecules and the crystal lattices with the local density approximation of density functional theory. The bulk geometries of the complex cations deduced from the X-ray studies and those calculated are in fair agreement for both approaches. However, the trend observed for the transition temperatures of 1-4 disagrees with the trend for the spin-state splittings ES (difference EHS-ELS between the energy of the HS and LS isomers) calculated for the isolated molecules, whereas it agrees with the trend for ES calculated with periodic boundary conditions. The latter calculations predict the strongest stabilization of the HS state for the fluoride complex, which actually is essentially HS above T=50 K, while the most pronounced stabilization of the LS state is predicted for 4, in line with the experimental results.

EPR Theoretical Study of Local Molecular Structure and Thermal Expansion Coefficient for Octahedral Mn2+ Centers in Zinc Fluosilicate

A theoretical method for studying the inter-relation between electronic and molecular structure has been proposed by diagonalizing the complete energy matrices for a d(5) configuration ion in a trigonal ligand field and considering the second-order and fourth-order EPR parameters D and (a - F) simultaneously. As for ZnSiF(6).6H(2)O:Mn(2+) and ZnSiF(6).6D(2)O:Mn(2+) complex molecules, the local lattice distortion and local thermal expansion coefficient for the octahedral Mn(2+) centers in zinc fluosilicate have been investigated, respectively. The calculations indicate that the local lattice structure around an octahedral Mn(2+) center has an expansion distortion, whether the Mn(2+) ion is doped in ZnSiF(6).6H(2)O or ZnSiF(6).6D(2)O. Moreover, the total tendency of the local lattice expansion distortion will be more and more obvious with the temperature rising, apart from some slight variations at T = 60 K for the ZnSiF(6).6H(2)O. By simulating the two low-symmetry EPR parameters D and (a - F) simultaneously, the local lattice structure parameters R and theta have been determined to vary from 2.204 Angstroms to 2.256 Angstroms and from 53.417 degrees to 52.710 degrees, respectively, in the temperature range 19-297 K for ZnSiF(6).6H(2)O:Mn(2+) and to vary from 2.215 Angstroms to 2.255 Angstroms and from 53.346 degrees to 52.714 degrees, respectively, in the temperature range 50-300 K for ZnSiF(6).6D(2)O:Mn(2+). Subsequently the dependence of local thermal expansion coefficients on the temperature is studied and the corresponding theoretical values of the local thermal expansion coefficients are reported firstly. Some characteristics of local thermal expansion coefficients of Mn(2+) in ZnSiF(6).6H(2)O:Mn(2+) and ZnSiF(6).6D(2)O:Mn(2+) systems are also analyzed.

Quantum-Admixture Model of High-Spin ↔ Low-Spin Transition for Ferrous Complex Molecules

A quantum-admixture model for the d(6) configuration ferrous complex molecules with the high-spin <--> low-spin transition has been established by using the unified crystal-field-coupling (UCFC) scheme. A general study has been made on the spin transition of octahedrally coordinated d(6) complexes, and a special application has been given to an Fe(II) compound Fe(II)(TRIM)(2)(PhCO(2))(ClO(4)). The results show the following: (i) The quantum picture of the spin transition of a d(6) system, such as Fe(II), is much more complex than a simple transition between the pure (5)T(2g) and (1)A(1g) states as usually understood. In practice, owing to spin-orbit coupling, spin is no longer a good quantum number and there is no longer a pure (5)T(2g) or (1)A(1g) state. Each of them splits into substates and each substate is a linear combination of various multiplets. The high-spin --> low-spin transition of an octahedrally coordinated d(6) ion is practically the crossover of the two lowest substates of (5)T(2g) at the critical point. (ii) At the spin-transition critical point the magnetic moment mu(eff) approximately 5.22 mu(B), which is obviously different from the simple average of the mu(eff) values of high-spin and low-spin states but near the saturation value. (iii) The calculation of the effective molecular magnetic moment mu(eff) for an octahedrally coordinated Fe(II) ion shows that the mu(eff)-T curve is in good agreement with Lemercier et al.'s experiment and both the low-spin value mu(eff) = 0.51 mu(B) and the high-spin value mu(eff) = 5.4 mu(B) are comparable with the experimental values 0.76 mu(B) and 5.4 mu(B), respectively. (iv) The T dependence of the crystal field parameter Dq in the spin-transition region is approximately linear.

High-spin to low-spin relaxation kinetics in the [Fe(TRIM)2]Cl2 complex

A quasi-quantitative photo-induced low-spin (LS)-->high-spin (HS) conversion of FeII ions has been observed in the [Fe(TRIM)2]Cl2 complex by irradiating the sample with blue light (488 nm) at 10 K. The time dependence of the HS-->LS relaxation has been studied between 10 K and 44 K by means of magnetic susceptibility measurements. These relaxation curves could be satisfactorily fitted by mono-exponential decays including tunnelling effect except for temperatures below 30 K. The introduction of a distribution of vibrational frequencies into this model improved significantly the fits in the low-temperature range and gave a good agreement with the experimental data in the whole temperature range suggesting a multi-rate relaxation process in this complex.

Heat capacity of the spin crossover complex [Fe(2-pic)3]Cl2*MeOH: a spin crossover phenomenon with weak cooperativity in the solid state

Heat capacities of the spin crossover complex [Fe(2-pic)3]Cl(2)*MeOH (2-pic: 2-picolylamine or 2-aminomethylpyridine) were measured with an adiabatic calorimeter between 12 and 355 K. A broad heat capacity peak, starting from approximately 80 K, culminating at approximately 150 K, and terminating at approximately 250 K, was observed. The temperature range of the heat capacity anomaly corresponds to that where the low-spin and high-spin states coexist in the 57Fe Mössbauer spectra. The enthalpy and entropy changes arising from the heat capacity anomaly were 8.88 kJ x mol(-1) and 59.5 J x K(-1) x mol(-1), respectively. The entropy gain was much larger than the contribution expected from the change in the spin-manifold R ln 5 (13.4 J x K(-1) x mol(-1)) where R is the gas constant. The remaining entropy gain is attributed to the contribution from the change in the internal vibrations. On the basis of the domain model, the number of molecules per domain was found to be very close to unity, implying a very weak cooperativity in the spin crossover occurring in the solid state of this complex.

Strong cooperativeness in the mononuclear iron(II) derivative exhibiting an abrupt spin transition above 400 K

The spin crossover system, [Fe(bzimpy)(2)](ClO(4))(2).0.25H(2)O, was reinvestigated above room temperature (bzimpy = 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine). The system exhibits an abrupt low-spin to high-spin transition at T(c) = 403 K. Liberation of a fractional amount of water does not affect the spin crossover: the system is perfectly reversible with a hysteresis width of DeltaT = 12 K. The existence of the hysteresis at such high temperature determines that the lowest limit of the solid-state cooperativity parameter is J/k > 403 K despite long iron(II) separations (10 A). The high cooperativeness has been assigned to a perfect pi-stacking of the benzimidazole rings in the crystal lattice at a distance as short as 3.6 A. Variable-temperature IR data and the heat capacity measurements match well the magnetic data. The thermodynamic properties are DeltaH = 17 kJ mol(-)(1), DeltaS = 43 J K(-)(1) mol(-)(1), so that the entropy of the spin transition shows a considerable contribution from the molecular vibrations. A theoretical model has been applied in fitting the magnetic data along the whole hysteresis path. A statistical distribution of the cooperativity parameter led to the feature that angled walls of the hysteresis loop are well reproduced.

Polymorphism in Spin Transition Systems. Crystal Structure, Magnetic Properties, and Mössbauer Spectroscopy of Three Polymorphic Modifications of [Fe(DPPA)(NCS)(2)] [DPPA = (3-Aminopropyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine]

Three polymorphic modifications A-C of [Fe(II)(DPPA)(NCS)(2)], where DPPA = (3-aminopropyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine is a new tetradentate ligand, have been synthesized, and their structures, magnetic properties, and Mössbauer spectra have been investigated. For polymorph A, variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements as well as Mössbauer spectroscopy have revealed the occurrence of a rather gradual HS if LS transition without hysteresis, centered at about 176 K. The same methods have shown that polymorph B is paramagnetic over the temperature range 4.5-295 K, whereas polymorph C exhibits a very abrupt S = 2 if S = 0 transition with a hysteresis. The hysteresis width is 8 K, the transitions being centered at T(c) downward arrow = 112 K for decreasing and T(c) upward arrow = 120 K for increasing temperatures. The crystal structures of the three polymorphs have been solved by X-ray diffraction at 298 K. Polymorph A is triclinic, space group P&onemacr; with Z = 2, a = 8.710(2) Å, b = 15.645(2) Å, c = 7.985(1) Å, alpha = 101.57(1) degrees, beta = 112.59(2) degrees, and gamma = 82.68(2) degrees. Polymorph B is monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c with Z = 4, a = 8.936(2) Å, b = 16.855(4) Å, c = 13.645(3) Å, and beta = 97.78(2) degrees. Polymorph C is orthorhombic, space group Pbca with Z = 8, a = 8.449(2) Å, b = 14.239(2) Å, and c = 33.463(5) Å. In the three polymorphs, the asymmetric units are almost identical and consist of one chiral complex molecule with the same configuration and conformation. The distorted [FeN(6)] octahedron is formed by four nitrogen atoms belonging to DPPA and two provided by the cis thiocyanate groups. The two pyridine rings of DPPA are in fac positions. The main differences between the structures of the three polymorphs are found in their crystal packing. The stabilization of the high-spin ground state of polymorph B is tentatively explained by the presence of two centers of steric strain in the crystal lattice resulting in the elongation of the Fe-N(aromatic) distance. The observed hysteresis in polymorph C seems to be due to the existence of an array of intermolecular contacts in the crystal lattice making the spin transition more cooperative than in polymorph A.

Spin Transition in [Fe(DPEA)(NCS)(2)], a Compound with the New Tetradentate Ligand (2-Aminoethyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (DPEA): Crystal Structure, Magnetic Properties, and Mössbauer Spectroscopy

The new spin transition compound [Fe(II)(DPEA)(NCS)(2)], where DPEA [(2-aminoethyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine] is a new tetradentate ligand, has been synthesized, and its structure, magnetic properties, and Mössbauer spectra have been investigated. The crystal structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction at 298 K. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group is P2(1)/c, with Z = 4,a = 9.358(1) Å, b = 11.812(2) Å, c = 17.135(2) Å, and beta = 94.5(4) degrees. The distorted [FeN(6)] octahedron is formed from four nitrogen atoms belonging to DPEA and two provided by the cis thiocyanate groups. The two pyridine rings of DPEA are in mer positions. Each molecule is linked to its neighbors by hydrogen-bonding interactions as well as by numerous van der Waals contacts supposed to be responsible for the cooperativity of the system. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements (20-290 K) have evidenced a relatively abrupt S = 2 right harpoon over left harpoon S = 0 transition centered at T(1/2) = 138 K. The thermal variation of the high spin state fraction observed by Mössbauer spectroscopy is in agreement with that obtained from magnetic susceptibility measurements. The fitting of Mössbauer and magnetic data with the Ising-like model allowed us to determine the energy gap between the high-spin and low-spin states (Delta(eff) = 835 K) and to estimate the variation of the thermodynamic parameters upon spin transition. The calculated variations of enthalpy (DeltaH = 6.76 kJ mol(-)(1)) and entropy (DeltaS = 49 J mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)) associated with the spin transition are in agreement with those previously observed for iron(II) spin-crossover compounds. The spin conversion is found to be close to a first-order phenomenon.

[Fe(II)(TRIM)(2)]F(2), the First Example of Spin Conversion Monitored by Molecular Vibrations

The new [Fe(II)(TRIM)(2)]F(2) spin-crossover complex (TRIM = 4-(4-imidazolylmethyl)-2-(2-imidazolylmethyl)imidazole) has been synthesized, crystallizing in the monoclinic system, space group P2/n, with Z = 2, a = 9.798(2) Å, b = 8.433(2) Å, c = 14.597(3) Å, and beta = 90.46(1) degrees. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined to conventional agreement indices R = 0.032 and R(w) = 0.034 with 1378 unique reflections for which I > 3sigma(I). The molecular structure consists of [Fe(TRIM)(2)](2+) complex cations hydrogen-bonded to six fluoride anions. The crystal packing results from this highly symmetrical and dense 3D network of hydrogen bonds. The coordination geometry of the iron(II) center can be described as a weakly distorted octahedron, including six nitrogen atoms originating from the two TRIM ligands coordinated to Fe(II) through their imine nitrogen atoms. Investigation of [Fe(II)(TRIM)(2)]F(2) by magnetic susceptibility measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy as a function of temperature indicates a 5% thermal variation of the spin fraction between 50 and 150 K, at variance with all previous litterature data. The spin conversion is gradual with 6% LS fraction below 50 K and less than 1% above 150 K. A theoretical approach based on the Ising-like model, completed with harmonic oscillators associated with the 15 vibration modes of the FeN(6) coordination octahedron, successfully fits the data with an energy gap of approximately 40 K between the lowest LS and HS electrovibrational states, an average vibration frequency omega(LS) of 232 K in the LS state, and an average omega(LS)/omega(HS) ratio of 1.3. Taking these results into account, the computed molar entropy change DeltaS associated with a complete conversion between the HS and LS states of Fe(II)(TRIM)(2)F(2) ( approximately 40 J.K(-)(1).mol(-)(1)) is in fair agreement with the expected value.