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The description of π‐donor amido moieties as ‘weak‐field’ ligands can belie the influence of metal‐ligand covalency on the overall ligand field of coordination complexes, which can in turn influence properties including the magnetic ground state and those of their excited states. In this contribution, the ligand fields of pseudo‐octahedral Ni(II) complexes supported by diarylamido pincer‐type amido ligands – three previously reported examples supported by asymmetric (2‐R‐phenanthridin‐4‐yl)(8‐quinolinyl)amido ligands (R = Cl, CF₃,tBu;^RL¹) along with a new congener bearing a symmetricbis(8‐quinolinyl)amido ligand (BQA;L²) – were investigated in two ways. First, high‐frequency and ‐field electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (HFEPR), SQUID magnetometry, and electronic absorption spectroscopy were used to determine the ligand field parameters. Second, the ability to electrochemically address ligand‐based oxidations despite metal‐centered SOMOs in the parentS=1 paramagnets was investigated, supported by time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) identification of strong intervalence charge‐transfer (IVCT) transitions attributed to electronic communication between two N_amidomoieties mediated by a Ni(II) bridge. These findings are discussed in the broader context of 3d transition metal coordination complexes of weak‐field π‐donor ligands.

The preparation of radicals with intense and redox‐switchable absorption beyond 1000 nm is a long‐standing challenge in the chemistry of functional dyes. Here we report the preparation of a series of unprecedented stable neutral nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of “Manitoba dipyrromethenes” (MB‐DIPYs) in which the organic chromophore is present in the radical‐anion state. The new stable radicals have an intense absorption atλ_max∼1300 nm and can be either oxidized to regular [M^II(MB‐DIPY)]⁺(M=Cu or Ni) or reduced to [M^II(MB‐DIPY)]⁻compounds. The radical nature of the stable [M^II(MB‐DIPY)] complexes was confirmed by EPR spectroscopy with additional insight into their electronic structure obtained by UV‐Vis spectroscopy, electro‐ and spectroelectrochemistry, magnetic measurements, and X‐ray crystallography. The electronic structures and spectroscopic properties of the radical‐based chromophores were also probed by density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations. These nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes represent the first stable radical compounds with a MB‐DIPY ligand.