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Abstract The imidophosphorane ligand, [NP^tBu₃]⁻(^tBu=tert‐butyl), enables isolation of a pseudo‐tetrahedral, tetravalent praseodymium complex, [Pr⁴⁺(NP^tBu₃)₄] (1‐Pr), which is characterized by a suite of physical characterization methods including single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance, and L₃‐edge X‐ray near‐edge spectroscopies. Variable‐temperature direct‐current magnetic susceptibility data, supported by multiconfigurational quantum chemical calculations, demonstrate that the electronic structure diverges from the isoelectronic Ce³⁺analogue, driven by increased crystal field. The four‐coordinate environment around Pr⁴⁺in1‐Pr, which is unparalleled in reported extended solid systems, provides a unique opportunity to study the interplay between crystal field splitting and spin‐orbit coupling in a molecular tetravalent lanthanide within a pseudo‐tetrahedral coordination geometry. 

Praseodymium in the +5 oxidation state is a long-sought connection between lanthanide, early-transition and actinide metal redox chemistries. Unique among the lanthanide series, evidence for molecular pentavalent praseodymium species has been observed in the gas phase and noble gas matrix isolation conditions. Here we report the low-temperature synthesis and characterization of a molecular praseodymium complex in the formal +5 oxidation state, [Pr5+(NPtBu3)4][X−] (where tBu = tert-butyl and X− = tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate or hexafluorophosphate). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solution-state spectroscopic, solution magnetometric, density functional theory and multireference wavefunction-based methods indicate a highly multiconfigurational singlet ground state. An inverted ligand field drives this unique electronic structure, which establishes a critical link in understanding the bonding of high-valent metal complexes across the periodic table. 

Structural distortion of the secondary coordination sphere driven by the incorporation of an alkali metal in Ce³⁺imidophosphorane complexes tunes the Ce^3+/4+oxidation potential. 

Sulfur K-edge XAS data provide a unique tool to examine oxidation states and covalency in electronically complex S-based ligands. We present sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy on a discrete redox-series of Ni-based tetrathiafulvalene tetrathiolate (TTFtt) complexes as well as on a 1D coordination polymer (CP), NiTTFtt. Experiment and theory suggest that Ni–S covalency decreases with oxidation which has implications for charge transport pathways. 

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. 

Reaction of the complexes [Fe 2 (μ 2 -NP(pip) 3 ) 2 (NP(pip) 3 ) 2 ] ( 1-Fe ) and [Co 2 (μ 2 -NP(pip) 3 ) 2 (NP(pip) 3 ) 2 ] ( 1-Co ), where [NP(pip) 3 ] 1− is tris(piperidinyl)imidophosphorane, with nitrous oxide, S 8 , or Se 0 results in divergent reactivity. With nitrous oxide, 1-Fe forms [Fe 2 (μ 2 -O)(μ 2 -NP(pip) 3 ) 2 (NP(pip) 3 ) 2 ] ( 2-Fe ), with a very short Fe 3+ –Fe 3+ distance. Reactions of 1-Fe with S 8 or Se 0 result in the bridging, side-on coordination (μ-κ 1 :κ 1 -E 2 2− ) of the heavy chalcogens in complexes [Fe 2 (μ-κ 1 :κ 1 -E 2 )(μ 2 -NP(pip) 3 ) 2 (NP(pip) 3 ) 2 ] (E = S, 3-Fe , or Se, 4-Fe ). In all cases, the complex 1-Co is inert.