This study presents the role of 5d orbitals in the bonding, and electronic and magnetic structure of Ce imido and oxo complexes synthesized with a tris(hydroxylaminato) [((2- t BuNO)C 6 H 4 CH 2 ) 3 N] 3− (TriNO x 3− ) ligand framework, including the reported synthesis and characterization of two new alkali metal-capped Ce oxo species. X-ray spectroscopy measurements reveal that the imido and oxo materials exhibit an intermediate valent ground state of the Ce, displaying hallmark features in the Ce L III absorption of partial f-orbital occupancy that are relatively constant for all measured compounds. These spectra feature a double peak consistent with other formal Ce( iv ) compounds. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal enhanced levels of temperature-independent paramagnetism (TIP). In contrast to systems with direct bonding to an aromatic ligand, no clear correlation between the level of TIP and f-orbital occupancy is observed. CASSCF calculations defy a conventional van Vleck explanation of the TIP, indicating a single-reference ground state with no low-lying triplet excited state, despite accurately predicting the measured values of f-orbital occupancy. The calculations do, however, predict strong 4f/5d hybridization. In fact, within these complexes, despite having similar f-orbital occupancies and therefore levels of 4f/5d hybridization, the d-state distributions vary depending on the bonding motif (CeO vs. CeN) of the complex, and can also be fine-tuned based on varying alkali metal cation capping species. This system therefore provides a platform for understanding the characteristic nature of Ce multiple bonds and potential impact that the associated d-state distribution may have on resulting reactivity.
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On the border between localization and delocalization: tris(iminoxolene)titanium( iv )
The tris(aminophenol) ligand tris(4-methyl-2-(3′,5′-di- tert -butyl-2′-hydroxyphenylamino)phenyl)amine, MeClampH 6 , reacts with Ti(O i Pr) 4 to give, after exposure to air, the dark purple, neutral, diamagnetic complex (MeClamp)Ti. The compound is six-coordinate, with an uncoordinated central nitrogen (Ti–N = 2.8274(12) Å), and contains titanium( iv ) and a doubly oxidized ligand, formally a bis(iminosemiquinone)-mono(amidophenoxide). The compound is unsymmetrical in the solid state, though the three ligands are equivalent on the NMR timescale in solution. Ab initio calculations indicate that the ground state is a multiconfigurational singlet, with a low-lying multiconfigurational triplet state. Variable-temperature NMR measurements are consistent with a singlet–triplet gap of 1200 ± 70 cm −1 , in good agreement with calculations. The distortion from threefold symmetry allows a low-lying, partially populated ligand-centered π nonbonding orbital to mix with largely occupied metal–ligand π bonding orbitals. The energetic accessibility of this distortion is inversely related to the strength of the metal–ligand π bonding interaction.
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- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10331416
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Dalton Transactions
- Volume:
- 48
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1477-9226
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1427 to 1435
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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