Hydrogen liberation: An attractive approach to reversible hydrogen storage applications is based on the decomposition of formic acid. The efficient and selective hydrogen liberation from formic acid is catalyzed by an iron pincer complex in the presence of trialkylamine. Turnover frequencies up to 836 h⁻¹ and turnover numbers up to 100,000 were achieved at 40 °C. A mechanism including well-defined intermediates is suggested on the basis of experimental and computational data.

''Rollover'' cyclometalation constitutes a special case among the well-known class of cyclometalation reactions. An overview is given that covers the very first description of this reaction type, as well as recent developments. In addition, not only condensed-phase experiments are reviewed, but also investigations based on mass spectrometric techniques, together with ''in silico'' studies using DFTbased calculations are considered. While the latter two methods allow for a detailed analysis of the intrinsic factors that affect the reaction mechanisms, consideration of all three regimes permits to develop a coherent mechanistic picture and to address the often noted gap between condensed-and gasphase studies. Moreover, the quite unexpected reactivity of ''rollover'' cyclometalated complexes in gasphase experiments, as well as potential applications, e.g. in synthetic procedures, are discussed in some detail.

Herein we present a series of new α-iminopyridine-based iron-PNN pincer complexes [FeBr2LPNN] (1), [Fe(CO)2LPNN] (2), [Fe(CO)2LPNN](BF4) (3), [Fe(F)(CO)2LPNN](BF4) (4), and [Fe(H)(CO)2LPNN](BF4) (5) with formal oxidation states ranging from Fe(0) to Fe(II) (LPNN = 2-[(di-tert-butylphosphino)methyl]-6-[1-(2,4,6-mesitylimino)ethyl]pyridine). The complexes were characterized by a variety of methods including (1)H, (13)C, (15)N, and (31)P NMR, IR, Mössbauer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as well as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and X-ray crystallography, focusing on the assignment of the metal oxidation states. Ligand structural features suggest that the α-iminopyridine ligand behaves as a redox non-innocent ligand in some of these complexes, particularly in [Fe(CO)2LPNN] (2), in which it appears to adopt the monoanionic form. In addition, the NMR spectroscopic features ((13)C, (15)N) indicate the accumulation of charge density on parts of the ligand for 2. However, a combination of spectroscopic measurements that more directly probe the iron oxidation state (e.g., XPS), density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and electronic absorption studies combined with time-dependent DFT calculations support the description of the metal atom in 2 as Fe(0). We conclude from our studies that ligand structural features, while useful in many assignments of ligand redox non-innocence, may not always accurately reflect the ligand charge state and, hence, the metal oxidation state. For complex 2, the ligand structural changes are interpreted in terms of strong back-donation from the metal center to the ligand as opposed to electron transfer.

Abstract. Vibrational spectra of small neutral gold clusters containing up to 8 Au atoms are measured in the far-infrared (46-222 cm -1 ) via photodissociation of their complexes with krypton atoms. Comparisons with calculated IR spectra for bare Aun clusters using density functional theory allow for structural assignment. For these small sizes, all clusters are found to be planar and of comparably high symmetry. For Au6 no data is available, as this cluster size is not detected in the photoionization mass spectra due to its high ionization energy. The structures assigned are for n = 4: rhombus (D2h); 5: trapezoid (C2v); 7: edge-capped triangle (Cs), 8: 4-fold edge-capped square (D4h).