C-Term magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy in paramagnetic transition metal and f-element organometallic chemistry

Theoretical and Spectroscopic Analysis of Square-Planar Tellurium(II) and Selenium(II) Diphenyl Thiourea Complexes in p2 Electronic Configurations

In this work, we performed a detailed mathematical ligand field theory analysis of square-planar (D4h) main group complexes in p2 electronic configurations, and the results were subsequently used to generate an energy-level correlation diagram. We synthesized the model p2 tellurium(II) diphenyl thiourea coordination complex for further spectroscopic investigation. Dissolution of TeO2 in concentrated HCl resulted in the formation of a [TeCl6]2- complex in acidic media, and subsequent addition of diphenyl thiourea resulted in the reduction of Te4+ to Te2+ (observed by 125Te NMR spectroscopy) and the formation of a cis-Te(dptu)2Cl2 complex, which was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). Using in situ optical/magnetic spectroscopy - specifically, UV-vis and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy - we observed absorbance bands and polarized transitions consistent with the calculated p-orbital splitting in a square planar (D4h) ligand field. Using the results of our spectroscopic investigation, we generated a molecular orbital (M.O.) diagram for the cis-Te(dptu)2Cl2 complex. We then used the M.O. diagram, in conjunction with the energy level correlation diagram, to assign the electronic transitions observed in the spectra of the cis-Te(dptu)2Cl2 complex. The analogous selenium(II) complex, cis-Se(dptu)2Cl2, was used to elucidate the observed transitions with minimal contribution from spin-orbit coupling. Our work examined how in situ spectroscopy and complementary ligand field theory analysis can be used to elucidate the electronic structures of main group coordination complexes.

Photoluminescence of a Uranium(IV) Alkoxide Complex

In this report, we describe the photoluminescence of a homoleptic uranium(IV) alkoxide complex. Excitation of [Li(THF)]2[UIV(O t Bu)6] leads to the first example of photoluminescence from a well-defined actinide complex originating from an f-f excitation, supported by second order multiconfigurational electronic structure calculations including spin-orbit coupling. These calculations show strong spin-orbit coupling between the excited triplet and singlet states for the 5f-orbital manifold, which leads to a long-lived excited state lifetime of 0.85 s at low temperature. The photophysical properties of homoleptic uranium(V) and uranium(VI) tertbutoxide complexes are also presented; we find that oxidation of the uranium(IV) alkoxide results in quenching of luminescence in [Li(THF)][UV(O t Bu)6] and [UVI(O t Bu)6]. This is attributed to competing ligand to metal charge transfer absorption processes shifted to lower energy upon oxidation of the actinide center, which mask the relevant f-f transitions in the visible region of the electronic absorption spectrum.

Near-Infrared Magnetic Circularly Polarized Luminescence and Slow Magnetic Relaxation in a Tetrazinyl-Bridged Erbium Metallocene

The magnetic and magneto-optical properties of a tetrazinyl radical-bridged ErIII metallocene, [(Cp*2ErIII)2(bpytz•-)][BPh4] (1; Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, bpytz = 3,6-bis(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazolyl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine), are reported. As confirmed by these studies strong Ln-rad coupling is achieved, with 1 exhibiting slow magnetic relaxation under a 1000 Oe dc field. The optical and magneto-optical profile of 1 is completed by both near-infrared (NIR) luminescence and magnetic circularly polarized luminescence (MCPL), representing the first example of NIR MCPL with ErIII.

Understanding covalency in molecular f-block compounds from the synergy of spectroscopy and quantum chemistry

One of the most intensely studied areas of f-block chemistry is the nature of the bonds between the f-element and another species, and in particular the role played by covalency. Computational quantum chemical methods have been at the forefront of this research for decades and have a particularly valuable role, given the radioactivity of the actinide series. The very strong agreement that has recently emerged between theory and the results of a range of spectroscopic techniques not only facilitates deeper insight into the experimental data, but it also provides confidence in the conclusions from the computational studies. These synergies are shining new light on the nature of the f element-other element bond.

In Situ UV-Vis-NIR Absorption Spectroscopy and Catalysis

This review highlights in situ UV-vis-NIR range absorption spectroscopy in catalysis. A variety of experimental techniques identifying reaction mechanisms, kinetics, and structural properties are discussed. Stopped flow techniques, use of laser pulses, and use of experimental perturbations are demonstrated for in situ studies of enzymatic, homogeneous, heterogeneous, and photocatalysis. They access different time scales and are applicable to different reaction systems and catalyst types. In photocatalysis, femto- and nanosecond resolved measurements through transient absorption are discussed for tracking excited states. UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopies for structural characterization are demonstrated especially for Cu and Fe exchanged zeolites and metalloenzymes. This requires combining different spectroscopies. Combining magnetic circular dichroism and resonance Raman spectroscopy is especially powerful. A multitude of phenomena can be tracked on transition metal catalysts on various supports, including changes in oxidation state, adsorptions, reactions, support interactions, surface plasmon resonances, and band gaps. Measurements of oxidation states, oxygen vacancies, and band gaps are shown on heterogeneous catalysts, especially for electrocatalysis. UV-vis-NIR absorption is burdened by broad absorption bands. Advanced analysis techniques enable the tracking of coking reactions on acid zeolites despite convoluted spectra. The value of UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy to catalyst characterization and mechanistic investigation is clear but could be expanded.

Spectroscopic techniques to probe magnetic anisotropy and spin-phonon coupling in metal complexes

Magnetism of molecular quantum materials such as single-molecule magnets (SMMs) has been actively studied for potential applications in the new generation of high-density data storage using SMMs and quantum information science. Magnetic anisotropy and spin-phonon coupling are two key properties of d- and f-metal complexes. Here, phonons refer to both intermolecular and intramolecular vibrations. Direct determination of magnetic anisotropy and experimental studies of spin-phonon coupling are critical to the understanding of molecular magnetism. This article discusses our recent approach in using three complementary techniques, far-IR and Raman magneto-spectroscopies (FIRMS and RaMS, respectively) and inelastic neutron scatterings (INS), to determine magnetic excited states. Spin-phonon couplings are observed in FIRMS and RaMS. DFT phonon calculations give energies and symmetries of phonons as well as calculated INS spectra which help identify magnetic peaks in experimental INS spectra.

A DFT perspective on organometallic lanthanide chemistry

Computational studies of the coordination chemistry and bonding of lanthanides have grown in recent decades as the need for understanding the distinct physical, optical, and magnetic properties of these compounds increased. Density functional theory (DFT) methods offer a favorable balance of computational cost and accuracy in lanthanide chemistry and have helped to advance the discovery of novel oxidation states and electronic configurations. This Frontier article examines the scope and limitations of DFT in interpreting structural and spectroscopic data of low-valent lanthanide complexes, elucidating periodic trends, and predicting their properties and reactivity, presented through selected examples.

Dual-signalled magneto-optical barcodes with lanthanide-based molecular cluster-aggregates

A proof-of-concept for magneto-optical barcodes is demonstrated for the first time. The dual-signalled spectrum observed via magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy can be used to develop anti-counterfeiting materials with extra layers of security when compared with the widely studied luminescent barcodes.

Toward Magneto-Optical Cryogenic Thermometers with High Sensitivity: A Magnetic Circular Dichroism Based Thermometric Approach

Remote temperature probing at the cryogenic range is of utmost importance for the advancement of future quantum technologies. Despite the notable achievements in luminescent thermometers, accurately measuring temperatures below 10 K remains a challenging endeavor. In this study, we propose a novel magneto-optical thermometric approach based on the magnetic-circular dichroism (MCD) technique, which offers unprecedented capabilities for meticulous temperature variation analysis at cryogenic temperatures. The inherent temperature sensitivity of the MCD C-term, in conjunction with both positive and negative signals, enables highly sensitive magneto-optical temperature probing. Additionally, a groundbreaking relative thermal sensitivity value of 95.3 % K-1 at 2.54 K can be achieved using a mononuclear lanthanide complex, [[Ho(acac)3 (phen)], in the presence of a 0.25 T applied magnetic field and using a combination of multiparametric thermal read-out with multiple regression. These results unequivocally demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of our methodology for cryogenic temperature sensing.

Going beyond the Electric-Dipole Approximation in the Calculation of Absorption and (Magnetic) Circular Dichroism Spectra including Scalar Relativistic and Spin-Orbit Coupling Effects

In this work, a time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) scheme for computing optical spectroscopic properties in the framework of linearly and circularly polarized light is presented. The scheme is based on a previously formulated theory for predicting optical absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra. The scheme operates in the framework of the full semi-classical field-matter interaction operator, thus generating a powerful and general computational scheme capable of computing the absorption (ABS), circular dichroism (CD), and MCD spectra. In addition, our implementation includes the treatment of relativistic effects in the framework of quasidegenerate perturbation theory, which accounts for scalar relativistic effects (in the self-consistent field step) and spin-orbit coupling (in the TD-DFT step), as well as external magnetic field perturbations. Hence, this formalism is also able to probe spin-forbidden transitions. The random orientations of molecules are taken into account by a semi-numerical approach involving a Lebedev numerical quadrature alongside analytical integration. It is demonstrated the numerical quadrature requires as few as 14 points for satisfactory converged results thus leading to a highly efficient scheme, while the calculation of the exact transition moments creates no computational bottlenecks. It is demonstrated that at zero magnetic field, the CD spectrum is recovered while the sum of left and right circularly polarized light contributions provides the linear absorption spectrum. The virtues of this efficient and general protocol are demonstrated on a selected set of organic molecules where the various contributions to the spectral intensities have been analyzed in detail.

ABCs of Faraday Rotation in Organic Materials

Faraday rotation is a magneto-optical effect central to a number of commercial technologies including optical isolation and magneto-optical imaging. Today, the performance needs of these technologies are met by inorganic materials containing paramagnetic heavy elements. However, organic thin films are increasingly being evaluated as replacement materials, promising higher magneto-optical performance and facile fabrication of structures that enable expanded applications. Despite being an object of research for more than 175 years, our understanding of the Faraday effect in solid-state organic materials remains incomplete, hindering our attempts to methodically improve magneto-optical performance. This Perspective aims to place several recent advances in the field of thin-film organic Faraday rotators within the well-established theoretical framework developed by solution-state magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopists: the Faraday A, B, and C terms. Through careful consideration of these quantum mechanical mechanisms in example molecules, an intuitive understanding of the impact of chemical structure in thin-film Faraday rotators can be achieved, including the critical roles of molecular symmetry, rigidity, absorptivity, and magnetism. Future work seeking to maximize the magneto-optical performance of organic thin films may more readily evaluate candidate chromophores based on the Faraday A, B, and C term framework presented herein.

Aufbau vs. non-Aufbau ground states in two-coordinate d7 single-molecule magnets

Magnetic anisotropy is generated in two related d7 single-molecule magnets; (1) via 3d-4s orbital mixing in FeI; and (2) a non-Aufbau ground state in CoII, demonstrating that the electronic configurations are large retained independent of geometry.