Covalent metal–ligand interactions can lead to Cu K pre-edge transitions that result from metal-to-ligand charge transfer, instead of 1s → 3d, character.

Multiple spectroscopic and computational methods were used to characterize the ground-state electronic structure of the novel {CoNO}(9) species Tp*Co(NO) (Tp* = hydro-tris(3,5-Me(2)-pyrazolyl)borate). The metric parameters about the metal center and the pre-edge region of the Co K-edge X-ray absorption spectrum were reproduced by density functional theory (DFT), providing a qualitative description of the Co-NO bonding interaction as a Co(II) (S(Co) = 3/2) metal center, antiferromagnetically coupled to a triplet NO(-) anion (S(NO) = 1), an interpretation of the electronic structure that was validated by ab initio multireference methods (CASSCF/MRCI). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed significant g-anisotropy in the S = ½ ground state, but the linear-response DFT performed poorly at calculating the g-values. Instead, CASSCF/MRCI computational studies in conjunction with quasi-degenerate perturbation theory with respect to spin-orbit coupling were required for obtaining accurate modeling of the molecular g-tensor. The computational portion of this work was extended to the diamagnetic Ni analogue of the Co complex, Tp*Ni(NO), which was found to consist of a Ni(II) (S(Ni) = 1) metal center antiferromagnetically coupled to an S(NO) = 1 NO(-). The similarity between the Co and Ni complexes contrasts with the previously studied Cu analogues, for which a Cu(I) bound to NO(0) formulation has been described. This discrepancy will be discussed along with a comparison of the DFT and ab initio computational methods for their ability to predict various spectroscopic and molecular features.

Studies on the coordination of nitrosoarene (ArNO) ligands to late-transition metals are used to provide the first definition of the geometric, spectroscopic, and computational parameters associated with a PhNO electron-transfer series. Experimentally, the Pd complexes PdCl(2)(PhNO)(2), PdL(2)(PhNO)(2), and PdL(2)(TolNO) (L = CNAr(Dipp2); Ar(Dipp2) = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))(2)-C(6)H(3)) are characterized as containing (PhNO)(0), (PhNO)(•1-), and (TolNO)(2-) ligands, respectively, and the structural and spectroscopic changes associated with this electron transfer series provide the basis for an extensive computational study of these and related ArNO-containing late-transition metal complexes. Most notable from the results is the unambiguous characterization of the ground state electronic structure of PdL(2)(PhNO)(2), found to be the first isolable, transition metal ion complex containing an η(1)-N-bound π-nitrosoarene radical anion. In addition to the electron transfer series, the synthesis and characterization of the Fe complex [Fe(TIM)(NCCH(3))(PhNO)][(PF(6))(2)] (TIM = 2,3,9,10-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradeca-1,3,8,10-tetraene) allows for comparison of the geometric and spectroscopic features associated with metal-to-ligand π-backbonding as opposed to (PhNO)(•1-) formation. Throughout these series of complexes, the N-O, M-N, and C-N bond distances as well as the N-O stretching frequencies and the planarity of the ArNO ligands provided distinct parameters for each ligand oxidation state. Together, these data provide a delineation of the factors needed for evaluating the oxidation state of nitrosoarene ligands bound to transition metals in varying coordination modes.

We have synthesized a series of lanthanide dithiocarbamate precursors for the synthesis of lanthanide sulfide materials and nanoparticles. Three dithiocarbamate complexes with europium, [Eu(S 2 CNRR′) 3 L], where L ) 1,10-phenanthroline, and R ) methyl, R′ ) ethyl (1), R ) R′ ) n Propyl (2), and R ) R′ ) i Butyl (3), as well as the lanthanide complexes, [Ln(S 2 CNR 2 ) 3 L], where R ) ethyl, L ) 1, 10-phenanthroline, and Ln ) Nd (4), Sm (5), Gd (6), Ho (7), and Er (8), were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, infrared, NMR, and UV-visible spectroscopy. We have used thermal analysis coupled with GC-MS and X-ray powder diffraction to determine the mechanism of decomposition. With R ) Et, smaller Ln ions give lower precursor decomposition temperatures, consistent with the higher lattice energies of the product Ln sulfides. Because they are monomeric, and water-and air-stable, these compounds should be ideal precursors for forming LnS as nanoparticles and bulk materials.