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The complex containing iron(II), 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine (3-bpp) as ligand, and tetracyanonickelate as counter anion has been synthesized and characterized. The characterization data suggest the corresponding formula of [Fe(3-bpp)2][Ni(CN)4]·4H2O. Meanwhile, the SEM–EDX analysis image confirms the existence of all elements contained in the complex except the hydrogen atom. The infrared spectra exhibit vibration bands of the functional groups of 3-bpp ligand and [Ni(CN)4]−1 anion. From magnetic property measurement, the complex's molar magnetic susceptibility (XMT) value is 2.65 emu mol−1 K at 300 K, which contains about 75% high-spin state of the Fe(II) complex. Upon lowering the temperature, the XMT value gradually decreases around 1.37 emu mol−1 K at 13 K. It decreases sharply to about 0.73 emu mol−1 K at 2 K. These values reveal that Fe(II) complex is in the low-spin (LS) state. As a result, the complex exhibited spin-crossover characteristics of gradual transition without thermal hysteresis, and the transition temperature occurred below room temperature with a transition temperature (T1/2) close to 140 K. The spin crossover property of the complex is supported by a thermochromic reversible color change from red-brown at room temperature to dark brown on cooling in liquid nitrogen associated with the high-spin to low-spin transition.

Two coordination polymers, Fe(LOBF3)(CH3COO)(CH3CN)2]n•nCH3CN and [Fe(LO−)2AgNO3BF4•CH3OH]n•1.75nCH3OH•nH2O (LO− = 3,3′-(4-(4-cyanophenyl)pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(1-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-olate)), were obtained via a PCET-assisted process that uses the hydroxy-pyrazolyl moiety of the ligand and the iron(II) ion as sources of proton and electron, respectively. Our attempts to produce heterometallic compounds under mild conditions of reactant diffusion resulted in the first coordination polymer of 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridines to retain the core N3(L)MN3(L). Under harsh solvothermal conditions, a hydrogen atom transfer to the tetrafluoroborate anion caused the transformation of the hydroxyl groups into OBF3 in the third coordination polymer of 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridines. This PCET-assisted approach may be applicable to produce coordination polymers and metal–organic frameworks with the SCO-active core N3(L)MN3(L) formed by pyrazolone- and other hydroxy-pyridine-based ligands.