A Nickel-Based Semiconductor Hybrid Material with Significant Dielectric Constant for Electronic Capacitors.

A novel semiconducting Ni(II)-based hybrid material with the formula (C7H12N2) NiCl4, which exhibits interesting optical and electrical properties, is reported. The crystal structure was investigated using SCXRD, whereas physical properties were studied by means of thermal analysis, Ft-Infrared, optical, and electrical measurements. Its crystal packing is formed through organic rings surrounded by inorganic [NiCl4]2- tetrahedral and stacked along the a-crystallographic axis. This arrangement is stabilized by a dense network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The investigated compound displayed a wide absorption range across the visible spectrum, characterized by an optical gap energy of 2.64 eV, indicating its semiconducting nature and efficient sunlight absorption capabilities across various wavelengths. Such features are of utmost importance in achieving a high energy conversion efficiency in solar cell applications. Further analyses of the thermal behavior using differential scanning calorimetry revealed a single-phase transition occurring at around 413 K, which was further confirmed through electrical measurements. A deep investigation of the electric and dielectric performances demonstrated a significant dielectric constant (ε' ∼ 104) at low frequencies and low dielectric loss at high frequencies. Thus, it highlights its exceptional dielectric potential, particularly in applications related to electronic capacitors.

Exploring the Optical and Energetic Properties of a Co(II)-Based Mixed Ligand MOF.

Due to their remarkable properties, including remarkable porosity and extensive surface area, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are being investigated for various applications. Herein, we report the first Co(II)-based mixed ligand MOF, formulated Co4(HTrz)2(d-cam)2.5(µ-OH)3. Its 3D structure framework is composed of helical chains {[Co4(µ3-HTrz)4]8+}n connected by d-camphorate ligand building blocks and featured as an extended structure in an AB-AB fashion. The investigated compound displays a wide absorption range across the visible spectrum, characterized by an optical gap energy of 3.7 eV, indicating its semiconducting nature and efficient sunlight absorption capabilities across various wavelengths. The electrochemical performance demonstrated an excellent reversibility, cyclability, structural stability, as well as a specific capacity of up to 100 cycles at a scan rate of 0.1 mV·s-1 and a current density of 50 mA·g-1. Thus, it showcases its ability to retain the capacity over numerous charge-discharge cycles. Additionally, the investigated sample displayed an impressive rate capability during the Li-ion charge/discharge process. Therefore, the material's remarkable electrochemical properties can be ascribed to the synergistic effects of its large specific surface area of 348.294 m2·g-1 and well-defined pore size distribution of 20.448 Å, making it a promising candidate for high-performance Li-ion batteries.

Lattice Defects in Sub-Micrometer Spin-Crossover Crystals Studied by Electron Diffraction.

Spin-crossover particles of [Fe(Htrz)2trz](BF4) with sizes of some hundred nanometers are studied by in situ electron microscopy. Despite their high radiation sensitivity, it was possible to analyze the particles by imaging and diffraction so that a detailed analysis of crystallographic defects in individual particles became possible. The presence of one or several tilt boundaries, where the tilt axis is the direction of the polymer chains, is detected in each particle. An in situ exposure of the particles to temperature variations or short laser pulses to induce the spin crossover shows that the defect structure only changes after a high number of transformations between the low-spin and high-spin phases. The observations are explained by the anisotropy of the atomic architecture within the crystals, which facilitates defects between weakly linked crystallographic planes.

High temperature spin crossover behaviour of mononuclear bis-(thiocyanato)iron(II) complexes with judiciously designed bidentate N-donor Schiff bases with varying substituents.

We present herein a family of molecular cis-[FeII(X-PPMA)2(NCS)2]·H2O [4-X-N-(phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)aniline; X-PPMA; X = -Cl (1), -Br (2), and -CH3 (3)] complexes that exhibit spin crossover behaviour above room temperature. Judiciously designed bidentate N-donor Schiff bases of 2-benzoylpyridine and para-substituted anilines in combination with Fe(NCS)2 were used for the synthesis of complexes 1-3. The relatively strong ligand field of the Schiff bases stabilises the low spin state of iron(II) up to 300 K which is evident from magnetic measurements, room temperature Mössbauer spectra and crystallographic bond/angle distortion parameters. Interestingly, complexes 1-3 crystallize in a tetragonal system with either a P43212 or P41212 chiral space group from achiral building units due to the supramolecular helical arrangements of molecules through intermolecular (pyridine)C-H⋯C(NCS) interactions in the crystalline state. Complexes 1 and 2 exhibit complete, gradual and slightly irreversible spin crossover behaviour in the temperature range of 300-500 K with equilibrium temperatures (T1/2) 375 K (1) and 380 K (2). The spin state evolution of iron(II) in complexes 1 and 2 is monitored between 150 K and 450 K through variable temperature crystallographic studies in the warming mode. The structural data are in good agreement with the 94% (1) and 87% (2) high spin conversion of iron(II) at 450 K. At a high temperature (450 K), some minor irreversible ligand motion is noticed in complexes 1 and 2, in addition to a complete solvent loss that may induce the slight irreversibility of the spin crossover. On the other hand, complex 3 shows a complete and gradual spin crossover in the temperature range of 10-475 K with strong irreversible features. The equilibrium temperatures obtained upon first warming (T1/2↑) and second cooling (T1/2↓) are 375 K and 200 K, respectively. In complex 3, the loss of a water molecule triggers strong deviations in the spin crossover behaviour. Moreover, dehydrated complex 3 exhibits photoswitching LIESST effect with a relaxation temperature T(LIESST) = 60 K.

OctaDist: a tool for calculating distortion parameters in spin crossover and coordination complexes.

OctaDist is an interactive and visual program for determination of structural distortion in octahedral coordination complexes such as spin crossover complexes, single-ion magnets, perovskites or metal-organic frameworks. OctaDist computes the octahedral distortion parameters initially designed in the context of the spin-crossover phenomenon and denoted ζ, Σ, and Θ from standard structural files. The program also provides additional tools for molecular analyses and visualization. It emphasizes performance, flexibility, ease of use, application programming interface (API) consistency, and clear documentation. The modules and classes in OctaDist can be easily customized to include new algorithms or analytical tools. OctaDist is cross-platform supported for modern operating systems and is available as open-source distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3.

Multiscale Approach of Spin Crossover Materials: A Concept Mixing Russian Dolls and Domino Effects.

The spin crossover (SCO) phenomenon corresponds to a modification that originates at the atomic scale. However, the simple consideration of the transformations that occur following the SCO at this scale or in its close vicinity does not allow anyone to truly understand, anticipate and thus take advantage of what happens at the scale of the material, and even less at the device one. As the fruit of years of work and experience on this phenomenon, we formalize here the concept of the multiscale understanding of SCO. Clearly, the deflagration generated by the initial impressive atomic modification on all the physical scales of the solid must be understood in terms of structure-properties relationships that fit together, like Russian dolls, and propagate according to a kind of domino effect. Each scale can both give different and independent consequences from those of the other scales but at the same time can influence those of a larger or smaller scale, the whole being imperatively to take into account. The concept appears well illustrated by the volume modification, always the same at the atomic level but drastically different and adaptable, in amplitude and sense, at any other physical scale. This approach results in a much wider range of potential applications than the atomic level alone initially suggests, including one serious path to shape memory materials.

Unprecedented Reverse Volume Expansion in Spin-Transition Crystals.

The current craze for research around the spin crossover phenomenon can be justified to some extent by the mechanical properties due to the decrease of volume associated with the transition of the metal ion from the HS state to the LS state. As demonstrated here, the molecular complex [Fe(PM-pBrA)2 (NCS)2 ] exhibits, on the contrary, an increase of the unit-cell volume from HS to LS. This counter-intuitive and unprecedented behavior that concerns both the thermal and the photoexcited spin conversions is revealed by a combination of single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction complemented by magnetic measurements. Interestingly, this abnormal volume change appears concomitant with the wide rotation of a phenyl ring which induces a drastic modification, though reversible, of the structural packing within the crystal. In addition, the light-induced HS state obtained through the Light-Induced Excited Spin-State Trapping shows a remarkably high relaxation temperature, namely T(LIESST), of 109 K, one of the highest so far reported. The above set of quite unusual characteristics opens up new fields of possibilities within the development of spin crossover materials.

Mapping the cooperativity pathways in spin crossover complexes.

Crystal packing energy calculations are applied to the [Fe(PM-L)2(NCS)2] family of spin crossover (SCO) complexes (PM-L = 4-substituted derivatives of the N-(2-pyridylmethylene)-4-aminobiphenyl ligand) with the aim of relating quantitatively the cooperativity of observed SCO transitions to intermolecular interactions in the crystal structures. This approach reveals a linear variation of the transition abruptness with the sum of the magnitudes of the interaction energy changes within the first molecular coordination sphere in the crystal structure. Abrupt transitions are associated with the presence of significant stabilising and destabilising changes in intermolecular interaction energies. While the numerical trend established for the PM-L family does not directly extend to other classes of SCO complex in which the intermolecular interactions may be very different, a plot of transition abruptness against the range of interaction energy changes normalised by the largest change shows a clustering of complexes with similar transition abruptness. The changes in intermolecular interactions are conveniently visualised using energy difference frameworks, which illustrate the cooperativity pathways of an SCO transition.

Photoinduced Mo-CN Bond Breakage in Octacyanomolybdate Leading to Spin Triplet Trapping.

The photoinduced properties of the octacoordinated complex K4 MoIV (CN)8 ⋅2 H2 O were studied by theoretical calculations, crystallography, and optical and magnetic measurements. The crystal structure recorded at 10 K after blue light irradiation reveals an heptacoordinated Mo(CN)7 species originating from the light-induced cleavage of one Mo-CN bond, concomitant with the photoinduced formation of a paramagnetic signal. When this complex is heated to 70 K, it returns to its original diamagnetic ground state, demonstrating full reversibility. The photomagnetic properties show a partial conversion into a triplet state possessing significant magnetic anisotropy, which is in agreement with theoretical studies. Inspired by these results, we isolated the new compound [K(crypt-222)]3 [MoIV (CN)7 ]⋅3 CH3 CN using a photochemical pathway, confirming that photodissociation leads to a stable heptacyanomolybdate(IV) species in solution.

Seven-coordinated iron(ii) spin-crossover molecules: some learning from iron substitution in [FexMn1-x(L222N3O2)(CN)2]·H2O solid solutions.

The purpose of this work is to study the influence of the substitution of Fe(ii) by Mn(ii) on the spin crossover behaviour of [FexMn1-x(L222N3O2)(CN)2]·H2O solid solutions where L222N3O2 is a macrocyclic ligand = 2,13-dimethyl-6,9-dioxa-3,12,18-triazabicyclo[12.3.1]-octadeca-1(18),2,12,14,16-pentaene. The pure Fe(ii) complex is known to present a change of the coordination number from 7 at high temperature to 6 at low temperature. The target of the solid solution study was to investigate the effect of metal dilution on this coordination change. We have then measured the thermal spin crossover features as well as the metastable HS state lifetime generated by rapid thermal quenching, which was probed through the determination of the T(TIESST) value. A discussion of the spin-state as a function of temperature is given based on the phase diagram of this series and based on the investigation of the crystal structure of the [Mn(L222N3O2)(CN)2]·H2O complex and its comparison with the published [Fe(L222N3O2)(CN)2]·H2O master compound.

Variation of M···H-C Interactions in Square-Planar Complexes of Nickel(II), Palladium(II), and Platinum(II) Probed by Luminescence Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction at Variable Pressure.

Luminescence spectra of isoelectronic square-planar d8 complexes with 3d, 4d, and 5d metal centers show d-d luminescence with an energetic order different from that of the spectrochemical series, indicating that additional structural effects, such as different ligand-metal-ligand angles, are important factors. Variable-pressure luminescence spectra of square-planar nickel(II), palladium(II), and platinum(II) complexes with dimethyldithiocarbamate ({CH3}2DTC) ligands and their deuterated analogues show unexpected variations of the shifts of their maxima. High-resolution crystal structures and crystal structures at variable pressure for [Pt{(CH3)2DTC}2] indicate that intermolecular M···H-C interactions are at the origin of these different shifts.

Design and Study of Structural Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Chiral [Fe(phen)3]2+ Complexes.

The dependence of nonlinear optical properties upon the spin state in molecular switches is still an unexplored area. Chiral [Fe( phen)3]2+ complexes are excellent candidates for those studies because they are expected to show nonlinear optical properties of interest and at the same time show photoconversion to a short-lived metastable high-Spin state by ultrafast optical pumping. Herein, we present the synthesis, crystallographic, and spectroscopic comparison of chiral [Fe( phen)3]2+ complexes obtained with chiral anions, a new lipophilic derivative of the D2-symmetric (As2(tartrate)2)2-, and D3-symmetric tris(catechol)phosphate(V) (TRISCAT), tris(catechol)arsenate(V) (TRISCAS), and 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol phosphate(V) (TRISPHAT). Complexes [Fe( phen)3]( rac-TRISCAT)2 (2) and [Fe( phen)3](X-TRISCAS)2 (X = rac (3), Δ (4), Λ (5)) were found to be isomorphous in the R32 Sohncke space group with twinning by inversion correlated with the starting chiral anion optical purity. The structures show the [Fe( phen)3]2+ complex interacting strongly along its 3-fold axis with two anions. Only the structure of a [Fe( phen)3]( rac-TRISPHAT)2 solvate (6) could be obtained, which showed no particular anion/cation interaction contrary to what was observed previously in solution. The [Fe( phen)3](X-As2(tartrate)2) (X = Δ (7), Λ (8), and racemic mixture (9)) crystallizes in enantiomorphic space groups P3121/ P3221 with the same solid-state packing. Dichroic electronic absorption studies evidenced racemization for all chiral complexes in solution due to ion pair dissociation, whereas the asymmetric induction is conserved in the solid state in KBr pellets. We evidenced on chiral complexes 4 and 5 strong nonlinear second harmonic generation, the intensity of which could be correlated with the complex electronic absorption.

Probing Co- and Fe-doped LaMO3 (M = Ga, Al) perovskites as thermal sensors.

The synthesis of a Co-doped or Fe-doped La(Ga,Al)O3 perovskite via the Pechini process aimed to achieve a color change induced by temperature and associated with spin crossover (SCO). In Fe-doped samples, iron was shown to be in the high-spin state, whereas SCO from the low-spin to the high-spin configuration was detected in Co-doped compounds when the temperature increased. Fe-doped compounds clearly adopted the high-spin configuration even down to 4 K on the basis of Mössbauer spectroscopic analysis. The original SCO phenomenon in the Co-doped compounds LaGa1-xCoxO3 (0 < x < 0.1) was evidenced and discussed on the basis of in situ X-ray diffraction analysis and UV-vis spectroscopy. This SCO is progressive as a function of temperature and occurs over a broad range of temperatures between roughly 300 °C and 600 °C. The determination of a crystal field strength of about 2 eV and a Racah parameter B of about 500 cm-1 for Co3+ (3d6) ions show that these values allow the occurrence of SCO. Hence, this study shows the possibility of using LaGa1-xCoxO3 compounds as thermal sensors at low Co contents (x = 0.02). The competition between steric and electronic effects in LaGaO3 in which Co3+ is stabilized in the LS state shows that electronic effects with the creation of M-O covalent bonds are predominant and contribute to the stabilization of a high crystal field around Co3+ (LS) although its ionic radius is smaller in comparison with that of Ga3+.

Spray-Drying to Get Spin-Crossover Materials.

Spin-crossover (SCO) triazole-based coordination polymers can be synthesized by micelle techniques, which almost always lead to rod-shaped nanoparticles. In order to notably reach new morphologies, we explore here the potentiality of the spray-drying (SD) method to get SCO materials. Three SCO coordination polymers and a mononuclear complex are investigated. In all cases, the SD method obtains particles definitely showing SCO. The features of the latter are yet always different from those of the referenced materials, in the sense that SCO is more gradual and incomplete, in adequacy with the poor crystallinity of the powders obtained by SD. In the case of coordination polymers, the particles are preferentially spherical. Indications of possible polymorphism and/or new materials induced by the use of the SD method are evidenced. In the case of the mononuclear complex, the SD method has allowed reproducing, in a quick and easy way, the well-known bulk compound. This exploratory work demonstrates the relevance of the concept and opens the way to a systematic scrutiny of all the experimental parameters to tune the size, morphology, and properties of the SD-synthesized SCO particles.

Grafting of gold onto spin-crossover nanoparticles: SCO@Au.

Nanoparticles of gold were successfully grafted onto nanoparticles of a 1D polymeric spin-crossover material leading to singular SCO@Au hybrid particles. The result is equally obtained using a large range of gold-particle sizes, from 4 to 45 nm, which first allows definition of the best experimental conditions, notably in terms of gold-particle concentration, and then demonstrates the robustness and the efficiency of the method.

On the importance of ferromagnetic exchange between transition metals in field-free SMMs: examples of ring-shaped hetero-trimetallic [(LnNi2){W(CN)8}]2 compounds.

Rare cases of genuine (i.e. field-free) SMM have been found for mixed 3d-4f-5d ring-shaped compounds with Tb(III) (Ueff/kB = 23.0 K) or Dy(III) (Ueff/kB = 26.4 K). The ferromagnetic interactions between the transition metals are shown to play an essential role in this feature.

Multiscale experimental and theoretical investigations of spin crossover Fe(II) complexes: examples of [Fe(phen)2(NCS)2] and [Fe(PM-BiA)2(NCS)2].

For spin crossover (SCO) complexes, computation results are reported and confirmed with experiments at multiscale levels of the isolated molecule and extended solid on the one hand and theory on the other hand. The SCO phenomenon which characterizes organometallics based on divalent iron in an octahedral FeN6-like environment with high spin (HS) and low spin (LS) states involves the LS/HS switching at the cost of small energies provided by temperature, pressure or light, the latter connected with Light-Induced Excited Spin-State Trapping (LIESST) process. Characteristic infra red (IR) and Raman vibration frequencies are computed within density functional theory (DFT) framework. In [Fe(phen)2(NCS)2] a connection of selected frequencies is established with an ultra-fast light-induced LS → HS photoswitching mechanism. In the extended solid, density of state DOS and electron localization function (ELF) are established for both LS and HS forms, leading to characterizion of the compound as an insulator in both spin states with larger gaps for LS configuration, while keeping molecular features in the solid. In [Fe(PM-BiA)2(NCS)2], by combining DFT and classical molecular dynamics, the properties and the domains of existence of the different phases are obtained by expressing the potential energy surfaces in a short range potential for Fe-N interactions. Applying such Fe-N potentials inserted in a classical force field and carrying out molecular dynamics (MD) in so-called "semi-classical MD" calculations, lead to the relative energies of HS/LS configurations of the crystal and to the assessment of the experimental (P, T) phase diagram.

Structural, vibrational and thermal studies of a new nonlinear optical crystal tetrapropylammonium dihydrogenmonoarsenate bis arsenic acid.

Single crystals of tetrapropylammonium dihydrogenmonoarsenate bis arsenic acid [CH3CH2CH2]4N (H2AsO4) (H3AsO4)2, a potential new nonlinear optical (NLO) material of interest were prepared by the slow evaporation technique and characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. The title compound belongs to the monoclinic space group Ia with the following unit cell dimensions: a=8.116(2) Ǻ, b=33.673(4) Ǻ, c=8.689(2) Ǻ, ß=95.34(2)°. The structure consists of infinite parallel two-dimensional planes built of mutually [H2AsO4(-)] and [H3AsO4] tetrahedra connected by strong O-H⋯O hydrogen bonding giving birth to trimmers. The planes of inorganic groups are alternated with those of the organic cations. The geometry, first hyperpolarizability and harmonic vibrational wavenumbers were calculated by means of density functional theory DFT with the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. Good consistency was found between the calculated results and the experimental structure, IR, and Raman spectra. The detailed interpretation of the vibrational modes was carried out building on the proposed DFT calculations as primary source of assignment and by comparison with the spectroscopic studies of similar compounds. The first hyperpolarizability ßtot of the title compound is about 14.6 times more than that of the reference crystal KDP, which may explain the importance of the compound under study.

The role of iron(II) dilution in the magnetic and photomagnetic properties of the series [Fe(x)Zn(1-x)(bpp)2](NCSe)2.

The effects of metal dilution on the spin-crossover behavior of iron(II) in the mixed crystal series [Fe(x)Zn(1-x)(bpp)2](NCSe)2 (bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine) have been studied using magnetic susceptibility, photomagnetism and diffuse reflectivity measurements. For each mixed-crystal system, the thermal spin transition temperature, T(1/2), and the relaxation temperature of the photo-induced high-spin state, T(LIESST), have been systematically determined. It appears that T(1/2) decreases with the metal dilution while T(LIESST) remains unchanged. Dilution also tends to decrease the hysteresis width and smooth the transition curves. These effects were discussed first qualitatively and then quantitatively on the basis of a kinetic study governing the photo-induced back conversion taking into account the relative sizes of Zn(II) and Fe(II) ions. Interestingly, single crystals were obtained for [Fe(0.6)Zn(0.4)(bpp)2](NCSe)2 allowing the X-ray diffraction crystal-structure determination.

Crystallography and spin-crossover. A view of breathing materials.

The spin-crossover phenomenon (SCO) is a fascinating field that potentially concerns any material containing a (d(4)-d(7)) transition metal complex finding therefore an echo in as diverse research fields as chemistry, physics, biology and geology. Particularly, molecular and coordination-polymers SCO solids are thoroughly investigated since their bistability promises new routes towards a large panel of potential applications including smart pigments, optical switches or memory devices. Notwithstanding these motivating applicative targets, numerous fundamental aspects of SCO are still debated. Among them, the investigation of the structure-property relationships is unfailingly at the heart of the SCO research field. All the facets of the richness of the structural behaviors shown by SCO compounds are only revealed when exploring the whole sample scales -from atomic to macroscopic- all the external stimuli-temperature, pressure, light and any combinations and derived perturbations- and the various forms of the SCO compounds in the solid state -crystalline powders, single-crystals, poorly crystalline or nano-sized particles. Crystallography allows investigating all these aspects of SCO solids. In the past few years, crystallography has certainly been in a significant phase of development pushing the frontiers of investigations, in particular thanks to the progress in X-ray diffraction techniques. The encounter between SCO materials and crystallography is captivating, taking advantages from each other. In this paper, a personal account mainly based on our recent results provides perspectives and new approaches that should be developed in the investigation of SCO materials.