skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Taming salophen in rare earth metallocene chemistry
A series of multinuclear metallocenes composed of a t Bu salophen dianion bound to two rare earth metal ions, where each is encased in a bis-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl scaffold, was realized. The isolated molecules (Cp* 2 RE) 2 (μ- t Bu salophen), where RE = Gd (1), Dy (2), and Y (3), constitute the first salophen-bridged metallocene complexes for any metal ion. 1–3 were characterised by X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry, IR, NMR, and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammograms of 1–3 excitingly exhibit quasi-reversable features attributed to the ( t Bu salophen 2− / t Bu salophen 3− ˙) redox couple. DFT calculations on 3 uncovered the highest occupied molecular orbital to be primarily localized on the metallocene and phenolate moieties of the t Bu salophen ligand. Furthermore, the nuclear spin I = ½ for yttrium allowed the collection of 89 Y NMR spectra for 3. Magnetic studies revealed slow magnetic relaxation, placing 2 among dysprosocenium-based single-molecule magnets containing a doubly anionic ligand in the equatorial plane.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1919565
PAR ID:
10346983
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers
Volume:
9
Issue:
7
ISSN:
2052-1553
Page Range / eLocation ID:
1325 to 1336
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. The molecular tetravalent oxidation state for praseodymium is observed in solution via oxidation of the anionic trivalent precursor [K][Pr 3+ (NP(1,2-bis- t Bu-diamidoethane)(NEt 2 )) 4 ] (1-Pr(NP*)) with AgI at −35 °C. The Pr 4+ complex is characterized in solution via cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis-NIR electronic absorption spectroscopy, and EPR spectroscopy. Electrochemical analyses of [K][Ln 3+ (NP(1,2-bis- t Bu-diamidoethane)(NEt 2 )) 4 ] (Ln = Nd and Dy) by cyclic voltammetry are reported and, in conjunction with theoretical modeling of electronic structure and oxidation potential, are indicative of principal ligand oxidations in contrast to the metal-centered oxidation observed for 1-Pr(NP*). The identification of a tetravalent praseodymium complex in in situ UV-vis and EPR experiments is further validated by theoretical modeling of the redox chemistry and the UV-vis spectrum. The latter study was performed by extended multistate pair-density functional theory (XMS-PDFT) and implicates a multiconfigurational ground state for the tetravalent praseodymium complex. 
    more » « less
  2. Abstract Anionic ancillary ligands play a critical role in the construction of rare earth (RE) metal complexes due to the large influence on the stability of the molecule and engendering emergent electronic properties that are of interest in a plethora of applications. Supporting ligands comprising oxygen donor atoms are highly pursued in RE chemistry owing to the high oxophilicity innate to these ions. The scarcely employed bis(acyl)phosphide (BAP) ligands feature oxygen coordination sites and contain a phosphide backbone rendering it attractive for RE‐coordination chemistry. Here, we integrate bis(mesitoyl)phosphide (mesBAP) as an ancillary ligand into REIIIchemistry to generate the first dinuclear trivalent RE complexes containing BAP ligands; [{mesBAP}2RE(THF)(μ‐Cl)]2(RE=Y, (1), Gd (2), and Dy (3); THF=tetrahydrofuran). Each RE center is ligated to two monoanionicmesBAP ligands, one THF molecule and one chloride ion. All three molecules were characterized through single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction,31P NMR, IR and UV‐Vis spectroscopy.31P,1H and13C NMR on the diamagnetic yttrium congener1confirm asymmetric ligand coordination. DFT calculations conducted on2provided insight into the electronic structure. The magnetic properties of2and3were investigated via SQUID magnetometry. The GdIIIions exhibit weak antiferromagnetic coupling, corroborated by DFT results. 
    more » « less
  3. Abstract For the first time, the capture of the planar antiaromatic parent benzene dianion in between two trivalent rare earth (RE) metal cations (REIII), each stabilized by two guanidinate ligands, is reported. The synthesized inverse‐sandwich complexes [{(Me3Si)2NC(NiPr)2}2RE]2(μ‐η6 : η6‐C6H6), (RE=Y (1), Dy (2), and Er (3)) were crystallized from aprotic solvents and feature a remarkably planar parent benzene dianion, previously not encountered for any metal ion prone to low or absent covalency. The −2 charge localization at the benzene ligand was deduced from the results obtained by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses, spectroscopy, magnetometry, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. In the1H NMR spectrum of the diamagnetic Y complex1, the equivalent proton resonance of the bridging benzene dianion ligand is drastically shifted to higher field in comparison to free benzene. This and the calculated highly positive Nucleus‐Independent Chemical Shift (NICS) values are attributed to the antiaromatic character of the benzene dianion ligand. The crucial role of the ancillary guanidinate ligand scaffold in stabilizing the planar benzene dianion conformation was also elucidated by DFT calculations. Remarkably, the planarity of the benzene dianion originates from the stabilization of the π‐type orbitals of the d‐manifold and compression through its strong electrostatic interaction with the two REIIIsites. 
    more » « less
  4. null (Ed.)
    Reaction of LiOC t Bu 2 Ph with TlPF 6 forms the dimeric Tl 2 (OC t Bu 2 Ph) 2 complex, a rare example of a homoleptic thallium alkoxide complex demonstrating formally two-coordinate metal centers. Characterization of Tl 2 (OC t Bu 2 Ph) 2 by 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography reveals the presence of two isomers differing by the mutual conformation of the alkoxide ligands, and by the planarity of the central Tl–O–Tl–O plane. Tl 2 (OC t Bu 2 Ph) 2 serves as a convenient precursor to the formation of old and new [M(OC t Bu 2 Ph) n ] complexes (M = Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn), including a rare example of T-shaped Zn(OC t Bu 2 Ph) 2 (THF) complex, which could not be previously synthesized using more conventional LiOR/HOR precursors. The reaction of [Ru(cymene)Cl 2 ] 2 with Tl 2 (OC t Bu 2 Ph) 2 results in the formation of a ruthenium( ii ) alkoxide complex. For ruthenium, the initial coordination of the alkoxide triggers C–H activation at the ortho -H of [OC t Bu 2 Ph] which results in its bidentate coordination. In addition to Tl 2 (OC t Bu 2 Ph) 2 , related Tl 2 (OC t Bu 2 (3,5-Me 2 C 6 H 3 )) 2 was also synthesized, characterized, and shown to exhibit similar reactivity with iron and ruthenium precursors. Synthetic, structural, and spectroscopic characterizations are presented. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract We introduce the heterocumulene ligand [(Ad)NCC(tBu)](Ad=1‐adamantyl (C10H15),tBu=tert‐butyl, (C4H9)), which can adopt two forms, the azaalleneyl and ynamide. This ligand platform can undergo a reversible chelotropic shift using Brønsted acid‐base chemistry, which promotes an unprecedented spin‐state change of the [VIII] ion. These unique scaffolds are prepared via addition of 1‐adamantyl isonitrile (C≡NAd) across the alkylidyne in complexes [(BDI)V≡CtBu(OTf)] (A) (BDI=ArNC(CH3)CHC(CH3)NAr), Ar=2,6‐iPr2C6H3) and [(dBDI)V≡CtBu(OEt2)] (B) (dBDI2−=ArNC(CH3)CHC(CH2)NAr). ComplexAreacts with C≡NAd, to generate the high‐spin [VIII] complex with a κ1‐N‐ynamide ligand, [(BDI)V{κ1‐N‐(Ad)NCC(tBu)}(OTf)] (1). Conversely,Breacts with C≡NAd to generate a low‐spin [VIII] diamagnetic complex having a chelated κ2‐C,N‐azaalleneyl ligand, [(dBDI)V{κ2‐N,C‐(Ad)NCC(tBu)}] (2). Theoretical studies have been applied to better understand the mechanism of formation of2and the electronic reconfiguration upon structural rearrangement by the alteration of ligand denticity between1and2. 
    more » « less