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Six Fe(II) complexes with substituted 6‐((quinoline‐8‐ylimino)methyl)phenolates (R2qsal) were synthesized. X‐ray crystal structure determination for [Fe(R2qsal)2], where R=F (1), Cl (2), Br (3), I (4), CF3/H (5), or CN/H (6), revealed mononuclear complexes that crystallize either solvent‐free in case of 1, 5, and 6 or as CH2Cl2 solvates in the case of 2, 3, and 4. Complexes 1–4, which contain π‐donating substituents, exhibit only high‐spin (HS) state, as shown by crystal structure analysis and magnetic measurements. In contrast, complexes 5 and 6, which contain electron‐withdrawing substituents, exist in the low‐spin (LS) state at lower temperatures but exhibit crossover to the HS state above 300 K. Electronic structure calculations show a good correlation between the relative energies of the LS and HS states and the experimentally observed behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homoleptic complexes [Fe(4bt)3](ClO4)2 (1), [Fe(2bt)3](ClO4)2 (2), and [Fe(3tpH)3](ClO4)2 (3) were obtained by a reaction between the Fe(II) precursor salt and the corresponding thiazole-based bidentate ligand (L = 4bt = 4,4′-bithiazole, 2bt = 2,2′-bithiazole, 3tpH = 3-(thiazol-2-yl)pyrazole). X-ray crystal structure determination revealed crystallization of solvent-free complex 1, a solvate 2·MeOH, and a co-crystal 3·2(3tpH). The crystal packing of all these complexes is dominated by one-dimensional interactions between the [Fe(L)3]2+ cations. These interactions are stronger in 2·MeOH and 3·2(3tpH), leading to cooperative and slightly hysteretic transitions between the high-spin and low-spin electronic configurations at ∼235 K and 159 K, respectively. In contrast, weaker intermolecular interactions in 1 result in a gradual spin crossover above 300 K, with the maximum fraction of the HS state ∼25% achieved at 400 K. Complexes 2 and 3·2(3tpH) exhibit light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) under irradiation with white light or a 532 nm laser at 5 K. After the photoexcitation, the trapped metastable HS state relaxes to the ground LS state with the average relaxation temperature of 81 K and 68 K, respectively. Examination of the relaxation dynamics by optical absorption spectroscopy on a single crystal of 3·2(3tpH) revealed the sigmoidal shape of the relaxation curves at lower temperatures, attributed to cooperative effects, as well as a plateau at ∼10% of the HS fraction at intermediate temperatures, hinting at a more complex mechanism for the relaxation of the LIESST phase in this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the magnetoelectric (ME) effect (or spin-electric coupling) in molecule-based magnetic materials is a relatively nascent but promising topic. Molecule-based magnetic materials have diverse magnetic functionalities that can be coupled to electrical properties. Here we investigate a realization of ME coupling that is fundamental but not heavily studied─the coupling of magnetic spin level crossings to changes in electric polarization. A mixed-valence Mn 4 Na complex with a total ground-state spin S = 5/2 under zero magnetic field and S = 17/2 under high magnetic field undergoes a cascade of ground-state level crossings of the S z states with increasing magnetic field. Magnetization and electrical polarization measurements under pulsed magnetic fields up to 73 T show that each spin level crossing is accompanied by a significant change in electric polarization that is an even function of the applied magnetic field. A molecular Hamiltonian describing antiferromagnetic exchange in a distorted tetrahedron of three Mn III and one Mn II ions matches the data well. We conclude that the ME coupling is caused by magnetostriction within the polar molecule as it distorts to lower its magnetic exchange energy.

Homoleptic complexes [Fe(4bt) 3 ](ClO 4 ) 2 (1), [Fe(2bt) 3 ](ClO 4 ) 2 (2), and [Fe(3tpH) 3 ](ClO 4 ) 2 (3) were obtained by a reaction between the Fe(II) precursor salt and the corresponding thiazole-based bidentate ligand (L = 4bt = 4,4'-bithiazole, 2bt = 2,2'-bithiazole, 3tpH = 3-(thiazol-2-yl)pyrazole). X-ray crystal structure determination revealed crystallization of solvent-free complex 1, a solvate 2·MeOH, and a co-crystal 3·2(3tpH). The crystal packing of all these complexes is dominated by one-dimensional interactions between the [Fe(L) 3 ] 2+ cations. These interactions are stronger in 2·MeOH and 3·2(3tpH), leading to cooperative and slightly hysteretic transitions between the high-spin and low-spin electronic configurations at ∼235 K and 159 K, respectively. In contrast, weaker intermolecular interactions in 1 result in a gradual spin crossover above 300 K, with the maximum fraction of the HS state ∼25% achieved at 400 K. Complexes 2 and 3·2(3tpH) exhibit light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) under irradiation with white light or a 532 nm laser at 5 K. After the photoexcitation, the trapped metastable HS state relaxes to the ground LS state with the average relaxation temperature of 81 K and 68 K, respectively. Examination of the relaxation dynamics by optical absorption spectroscopy on a single crystal of 3·2(3tpH) revealed the sigmoidal shape of the relaxation curves at lower temperatures, attributed to cooperative effects, as well as a plateau at ∼10% of the HS fraction at intermediate temperatures, hinting at a more complex mechanism for the relaxation of the LIESST phase in this material.

A family of rare-earth complexes [RE(III) = Y, La, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Er] with doubly reduced dibenzo[ a , e ]cyclooctatetraene (DBCOT) has been synthesized and structurally characterized. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that all products of the [RE(DBCOT)(THF) 4 ][RE(DBCOT) 2 ] composition consist of the anionic sandwich [RE(DBCOT) 2 ] - and the cationic counterpart [RE(DBCOT)(THF) 4 ] + . Within the sandwich, two elongated π decks are slightly bent toward the metal center (avg. 7.3°) with a rotation angle of 35.9-37.6°. The RE(III) ion is entrapped between the central eight-membered rings of DBCOT 2- in a η 8 fashion. The trends in the RE-COT bond lengths are consistent with the variations of the ionic radii of RE(III) centers. The 1 H NMR spectra of the diamagnetic Y(III) and La(III) analogues illustrate the distinct solution behavior for the cationic and anionic parts in this series. Magnetic measurements for the Dy analogue reveal single-molecule magnetism, which was rationalized by considering the effect of crystal-field splitting for both building units analyzed by electronic structure calculations.

Au(111) is one of the substrates often used for supporting spin crossover (SCO) molecules, partly because of its inertness and partly because it is conducting. Using density functional theory based calculations of [Fe(tBu 2 qsal) 2 ] SCO molecules adsorbed on the Au(111) surface, we show that while Au(111) may not be a suitable support for the molecule, it may be so for a monolayer (ML) of molecules. While, physisorption of [Fe(tBu 2 qsal) 2 ] on Au(111) leads to electron transfer from the highest occupied molecular orbital to the substrate, electron transfer is minimal for a ML of [Fe(tBu 2 qsal) 2 ] on Au(111), causing only negligible changes in the electronic structure and magnetic moment of the molecules. Furthermore, a small difference in energy between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic configurations of the molecules in the ML indicates a weak magnetic coupling between the molecules. These results suggest Au(111) as a plausible support for a ML of [Fe(tBu 2 qsal) 2 ], making such a molecular assembly suitable for electronic and spin transport applications. As for [Fe(tBu 2 qsal) 2 ] SCO molecules themselves, we find hexagonal boron nitride ( h -BN) to be a viable support for them, as there is hardly any charge transfer, while graphene displays stronger interaction with the molecule (than h -BN does) resulting in charge transfer from the molecule to graphene., (© 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd.)