The complex salts [FeL
2]X2 (1X
2
; L =
2,6-di{4-fluoropyrazol-1-yl}pyridine; X– = BF4
– or ClO4
–)
exhibit abrupt spin-transitions with narrow thermal hysteresis, at T
1/2 = 164 K (X– = BF4
–) and 148 K (X– = ClO4
–). The transition in 1[ClO
4
]
2
is complicated
by efficient thermally induced excited spin-state trapping (TIESST)
of its high-spin state below ca. 120 K, and the fully low-spin state
was achieved only inside the magnetometer at a scan rate of 0.5 K
min–1. Crystals of 1[BF
4
]
2
are tetragonal (P
21
c, Z = 2; phase 1) at 300 K but transform to a highly twinned
monoclinic phase 2 (P21, Z = 2) at 285 ± 5 K. These are forms of the “terpyridine
embrace” crystal lattice, which often affords cooperative spin-transitions
in iron/di(pyrazolyl)pyridine complexes. Phase 2 of high-spin 1[BF
4
]
2
shows a significant temperature dependence by powder diffraction,
which reflects increased canting of the monoclinic unit cell as the
temperature is lowered. In contrast, 1[ClO
4
]
2
retains phase
2 between 100 and 300 K, and was crystallographically characterized
in its thermally trapped metastable high-spin state at 100 K, as well
as its thermodynamic high- and low-spin forms at higher temperatures.
The spin-crossover transition temperature in 1[ClO
4
]
2
and related
compounds correlates well with a parameter describing angular changes
to the metal coordination sphere during the transition but not with
other commonly used structural indices. The TIESST metastable high-spin
state of 1[ClO
4
]
2
shows no single molecule magnet properties
at 2 K.