The reduction of iron(II) phthalocyanine
(Pc(2−)FeII) or its bisaxially coordinated complexes
results in the formation
of the purple/red [PcFe]−, [PcFeL]−, and [PcFeX]2– (L is neutral and X is anionic
ligand) species. The X-ray structure of the [K(DME)4][PcFe]
complex exhibits a square-planar [PcFe]− anion. 1H NMR spectra of the reduced species have one or two phthalocyanine
broad peaks between 15 and 17 ppm. Solution magnetic moments are consistent
with the presence of a single unpaired electron. A solid-state Mössbauer
spectrum of [K(DME)4][PcFe] is consistent with an early
report [Pure Appl.
Chem.197438427438]. The solid-state EPR spectrum
of the [PcFe]− anion is close to that recorded by
Konarev et al. [Dalton Trans.2012411384113847]. Solution EPR spectra of reduced species
have axial symmetry (g
⊥ ∼
2.08–2.17 and g
|| ∼ 1.95–1.96)
and correlate well with spectra reported by Lever and Wilshire in
1978 [Inorg. Chem.19781711451151]. The UV–vis spectra of pentacoordinated
[PcFeL]− and [PcFeX]2– anions
consist of the characteristic bands around 810, 690, and 515 nm. These
bands correlate well with the set of MCD pseudo A-terms and resemble transitions in the [Pc(3−)M]− and [Pc(3−)ML]− compounds. The UV–vis
and MCD spectra of [PcFeL]− and [PcFeX]2– complexes are in stark contrast to the crystallographically characterized
reference [Pc(2−)CoI]− anion,
which is EPR silent, has a regular diamagnetic 1H NMR spectrum,
and has an intense Q-band at 699 nm, which correlates well with the
strong MCD A-term. The DFT and TDDFT calculations
are suggestive of the iron(II) center in a (d
xy
)2(d
xz
,
yz
)3(d
z
2
)1 (s = 1) electronic configuration
that is antiferromagnetically coupled with the one-electron-reduced
Pc(3−) ligand (i.e., [Pc(3−)FeII]−, [Pc(3−)FeIIL]−, and [Pc(3−)FeIIX]2–). The calculated EPR, Mössbauer,
and UV–vis spectra of [PcFe]−, [PcFeL]−, and [PcFeX]2– complexes are in
excellent agreement with the experimental data, thus resolving the
controversy between axial s = 1/2 like EPR and Pc(3−)-like
UV–vis spectra of these compounds.