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Title: Optimization of crystal packing in semiconducting spin-crossover materials with fractionally charged TCNQ δ− anions (0 δ < 1)
Co-crystallization of the prominent Fe( ii ) spin-crossover (SCO) cation, [Fe(3-bpp) 2 ] 2+ (3-bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine), with a fractionally charged TCNQ δ − radical anion has afforded a hybrid complex [Fe(3-bpp) 2 ](TCNQ) 3 ·5MeCN (1·5MeCN, where δ = −0.67). The partially desolvated material shows semiconducting behavior, with the room temperature conductivity σ RT = 3.1 × 10 −3 S cm −1 , and weak modulation of conducting properties in the region of the spin transition. The complete desolvation, however, results in the loss of hysteretic behavior and a very gradual SCO that spans the temperature range of 200 K. A related complex with integer-charged TCNQ − anions, [Fe(3-bpp) 2 ](TCNQ) 2 ·3MeCN (2·3MeCN), readily loses the interstitial solvent to afford desolvated complex 2 that undergoes an abrupt and hysteretic spin transition centered at 106 K, with an 11 K thermal hysteresis. Complex 2 also exhibits a temperature-induced excited spin-state trapping (TIESST) effect, upon which a metastable high-spin state is trapped by flash-cooling from room temperature to 10 K. Heating above 85 K restores the ground-state low-spin configuration. An approach to improve the structural stability of such complexes is demonstrated by using a related ligand 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2′-yl)pyridine (bzimpy) to obtain [Fe(bzimpy) 2 ](TCNQ) 6 ·2Me 2 CO (4) and [Fe(bzimpy) 2 ](TCNQ) 5 ·5MeCN (5), both of which exist as LS complexes up to 400 K and exhibit semiconducting behavior, with σ RT = 9.1 × 10 −2 S cm −1 and 1.8 × 10 −3 S cm −1 , respectively.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1828362 1955754
NSF-PAR ID:
10304012
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Chemical Science
Volume:
12
Issue:
32
ISSN:
2041-6520
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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  1. Abstract

    Co‐crystallization of the spin‐crossover (SCO) cationic complex, [Fe(1‐bpp)2]2+(1‐bpp=2,6‐bis(pyrazol‐1‐yl)pyridine) with fractionally charged organic anion TCNQδ−(0<δ<1) afforded hybrid materials [Fe(1‐bpp)2](TCNQ)3.5 ⋅ 3.5MeCN (1) and [Fe(1‐bpp)2](TCNQ)4 ⋅ 4DCE (2), where TCNQ=7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane, MeCN=acetonitrile, and DCE=1,2‐dichloroethane. Both materials exhibit semiconducting behavior, with the room‐temperature conductivity values of 1.1×10−4 S/cm and 1.7×10−3 S/cm, respectively. The magnetic behavior of both complexes exhibits strong dependence on the content of the interstitial solvent. Complex1undergoes a gradual temperature‐driven SCO, with the midpoint temperature ofT1/2=234 K. The partial solvent loss by1leads to the increase in theT1/2value while complete desolvation renders the material high‐spin (HS) in the entire studied temperature range. In the case of2, the solvated complex shows a gradual SCO withT1/2=166 K only when covered with a mother liquid, while the facile loss of interstitial solvent, even at room temperature, leads to the HS‐only behavior.

     
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  2. null (Ed.)
    Fe(II) coordination complexes with ligands of an intermediate field strength often show witching between the high-spin (HS) and low-spin (LS) electronic configurations, known as spin crossover (SCO). This spin-state conversion is achieved by changes in temperature, pressure, or photoexcitation, which make SCO complexes promising materials for various applications that rely on bistable systems. Multifunctional materials that exhibit both spin-state switching and conductivity can be created by combining Fe(II) SCO complexes with organic TCNQ-type electron acceptors. In such complexes, TCNQ●d– radical anions are typically arranged in layers of one-dimensional stacks that provide conducting pathways (Fig. 1). The stacking distance can be affected by structural changes induced by the alteration in the electronic configuration and, thus, bond lengths at the Fe(II) center, resulting in synergy between SCO and conductivity. The synthesis of such materials can be approached in two ways: (1) by coordinating TCNQ●d– ligands directly to the Fe(II) center, which is partially protected by blocking ligands that limit the growth of extended structures or (2) by co-crystallizing completely blocked Fe(II) centers with free TCNQ●d– radicals. We will discuss several examples of the second approach, in which homoleptic Fe(II) cationic SCO complexes with tridentate 2,6-bispyrazolyl-pyridine (bpp) type ligands have been co-crystallized with fractionally-charged TCNQ●d– radical anions. The temperature- and solvent-dependent magnetic behavior and transport properties of these materials will be discussed. We will also present new pathways to improve the design of such molecule-based conductors with spin-state switching properties. To the best of out knowledge, we report the first examples of Fe(II) based conducting molecular materials with abrupt temperature-driven spin transitions. 
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