A highly methanol-selective vapochromic response has been realized in a Ni -quinonoid complex, [Ni(HL ) ] (H L =4-methylamino-6-methyliminio-3-oxocyclohexa-1,4-dien-1-olate) which exhibits a reversible structural transformation including a coordination geometrical change between the square-planar and octahedral structure by the selective uptake of methanol vapor. This was accompanied by a remarkable color change between purple and orange, as well as temperature-robust spin-state switching in the solid state under ambient conditions. It is remarkable that the properties are derived by the fine structural modification of the quinonoid ligand such as methyl or ethyl analogues. Such a system has high potential for applications in memory devices as well as chemical sensors and smart responsive materials.

A multifunctional porous metal organic framework based on mixed-valence hexa-nuclear [Mn(III)(2)Mn(II)(4)O(2)(pyz)(2)(C(6)H(5)CH(2)COO)(10)] (pyz = pyrazine) units has been synthesized. The complex has been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and variable-temperature magnetic measurements. The structural analysis reveals that the bidentate pyz molecules connect each [Mn(6)] unit to its four [Mn(6)] neighbors through the peripheral Mn(II) centers, giving rise to a three-dimensional (3D) distorted diamond-like porous framework. Variable-temperature (2-300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements show the presence of dominant antiferromagnetic interactions within the discrete [Mn(6)] cluster that have been fitted with a model containing three exchange constants developed for the complex (J(1) = -8.6 cm(-1), J(2) = -3.9 cm(-1), and J(3) = -100.0 cm(-1)). Using 3,5-di-tert-butyl catechol (3,5-DTBC) as the substrate, catecholase activity of the complex has been studied; the turn over number is determined to be of 2547 h(-1) in acetonitrile. This porous compound shows remarkable selectivity for adsorption of CO(2) over N(2) that may be correlated with the effect of window flexibility of the pore to the corresponding adsorbate molecules.

Two new nickel(II) complexes [Ni(2)L(2)(PhCOO)(2)(H(2)O)] (1), [Ni(2)L(2)(PhCH(2)COO)(2)(H(2)O)] (2) have been synthesized using a tridentate Schiff base ligand, HL (2-[(3-dimethylamino-propylimino)-methyl]-phenol) and the carboxylate monoanions, benzoate and phenylacetate, respectively. The complexes have been characterized by spectral analysis, variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurement and crystal structure analysis. The structural analyses reveal that both complexes are dinuclear in which the distorted octahedral Ni(2+) ions share a face, bridged by one water molecule and two μ(2)-phenoxo oxygen atoms. A monodentate benzoate or phenylacetate anion and two nitrogen atoms of the chelating deprotonated Schiff base (L) complete the hexa-coordination around the metal ion. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies indicate the presence of dominant ferromagnetic exchange coupling in complexes 1 and 2 with J values of 11.1(2) and 10.9(2) cm(-1) respectively. An attempt has been made to rationalize the observed magneto-structural behavior considering the importance of the additional water bridge in the present two complexes and also in other similar species.

Three new trinuclear nickel (II) complexes with the general composition [Ni3 L3 (OH)(X)](ClO4 ) have been prepared in which X=Cl(-) (1), OCN(-) (2), or N3(-) (3) and HL is the tridentate N,N,O donor Schiff base ligand 2-[(3-dimethylaminopropylimino)methyl]phenol. Single-crystal structural analyses revealed that all three complexes have a similar Ni3 core motif with three different types of bridging, namely phenoxido (μ2 and μ3 ), hydroxido (μ3 ), and μ2 -Cl (1), μ1,1 -NCO (2), or μ1,1 -N3 (3). The nickel(II) ions adopt a compressed octahedron geometry. Single-crystal magnetization measurements on complex 1 revealed that the pseudo-three-fold axis of Ni3 corresponds to a magnetic easy axis, being consistent with the magnetic anisotropy expected from the coordination structure of each nickel ion. Temperature-dependent magnetic measurements indicated ferromagnetic coupling leading to an S=3 ground state with 2J/k=17, 17, and 28 K for 1, 2, and 3, respectively, with the nickel atoms in an approximate equilateral triangle. The high-frequency EPR spectra in combination with spin Hamiltonian simulations that include zero-field splitting parameters DNi /k=-5, -4, and -4 K for 1, 2, and 3, respectively, reproduced the EPR spectra well after a anisotropic exchange term was introduced. Anisotropic exchange was identified as Di,j /k=-0.9, -0.8, and -0.8 K for 1, 2, and 3, respectively, whereas no evidence of single-ion rhombic anisotropy was observed spectroscopically. Slow relaxation of the magnetization at low temperatures is evident from the frequency-dependence of the out-of-phase ac susceptibilities. Pulsed-field magnetization recorded at 0.5 K shows clear steps in the hysteresis loop at 0.5-1 T, which has been assigned to quantum tunneling, and is characteristic of single-molecule magnets.

Three new Mn(II) coordination compounds {[Mn(NCNCN)(2)(azpy)]·0.5azpy}(n) (1), {[Mn(NCS)(2)(azpy)(CH(3)OH)(2)]·azpy}(n) (2), and [Mn(azpy)(2)(H(2)O)(4)][Mn(azpy)(H(2)O)(5)]·4PF(6)·H(2)O·5.5azpy (3) (where azpy = 4,4'-azobis(pyridine)) have been synthesized by self-assembly of the primary ligands, dicyanamide, thiocyanate, and hexafluorophosphate, respectively, together with azpy as the secondary spacer. All three complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The structural analyses reveal that complex 1 forms a two-dimensional (2D) grid sheet motif. These sheets assemble to form a microporous framework that incorporates coordination-free azpy by host-guest π···π and C-H···N hydrogen bonding interactions. Complex 2 features azpy bridged one-dimensional (1D) chains of centrosymmetric [Mn(NCS)(2)(CH (3)OH)(2)] units which form a 2D porous sheet via a CH(3)···π supramolecular interaction. A guest azpy molecule is incorporated within the pores by strong H-bonding interactions. Complex 3 affords a 0-D motif with two monomeric Mn(II) units in the asymmetric unit. There exist π···π, anion···π, and strong hydrogen bonding interactions between the azpy, water, and the anions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, at the M06/6-31+G* level of theory, are used to characterize a great variety of interactions that explicitly show the importance of host-guest supramolecular interactions for the stabilization of coordination compounds and creation of the fascinating three-dimensional (3D) architecture of the title compounds.