The
iron(II) complexes of two structural isomers of 2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)diazine reveal how ligand design can be a successful
strategy to control the electronic and magnetic properties of complexes
by fine-tuning their ligand field. The two isomers only differ in
the position of a single diazinic nitrogen atom, having either a pyrazine
(Z) or a pyrimidine (M) moiety. However,
[Fe(M)3](ClO4)2 is a
spin-crossover complex with a spin transition at 241 K, whereas [Fe(Z)3](ClO4)2 has a stable
magnetic behavior between 2 and 300 K. This is corroborated by temperature-dependent
Mössbauer spectra showing the presence of a quintet and a singlet
state in equilibrium. The temperature-dependent single-crystal X-ray
diffraction results relate the spin-crossover observed in [Fe(M)3](ClO4)2 to changes in
the bond distances and angles of the coordination sphere of iron(II),
hinting at a stronger σ donation of ligand Z in
comparison to ligand M. The UV/vis spectra of both complexes
are solved by means of the multiconfigurational wave-function-based
method CASPT2 and confirm their different spin multiplicities at room
temperature, as observed in the Mössbauer spectra. Calculations
show larger stabilization of the singlet state in [Fe(Z)3]2+ than in [Fe(M)3]2+, stemming from the slightly stronger ligand field
of the former (506 cm–1 in the singlet). This relatively
weak effect is indeed capable of changing the spin multiplicity of
the complexes and causes the appearance of the spin transition in
the M complex.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.