Effect of temperature and ligand protonation on the electronic ground state in Cu(ii) polymers having unusual secondary interactions: a magnetic and catechol oxidase study.

Two new copper(ii) polymeric complexes, {[Cu(HPymat)(H2O)](NO3)}n (1) and [Cu2(Pymat)2(H2O)3]n (2), have been synthesized using the Schiff base ligand H2Pymat [H2Pymat = (E)-2-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)-methyleneamino)terephthalic acid]. Complex 1 is a cationic 1D polymer, whereas complex 2 is a two dimensional polymer. Both complexes were crystallographically, spectroscopically and magnetically characterized. Theoretical studies were performed and the catecholase activity of the complexes was also examined. Complex 1 is a ferromagnetically coupled complex with J = 2.8 cm-1 and 2 shows antiferromagnetic coupling with J = -1.6 cm-1. Both complexes show notable features in the EPR study. They show rhombic spectra at 77 K in the solid state, but by varying the temperature or solvents the nature of the spectra can be changed or inverted. This behaviour indicates a change of the ground state from dx2-y2 to dz2 orbitals. Theoretical calculations of 1 focus on the evaluation and characterization of interesting anion-π-anion assemblies that are formed in the solid state. In 2 we have analysed the unconventional chelate ringchelate ring π-stacking interactions that govern its solid state architecture. Both complexes act as functional models and show catechol oxidase activity with a kcat value of the order of 103 h-1.

Switching and redox isomerism in first-row transition metal complexes containing redox active Schiff base ligands.

The reversible redox isomerisms in first row transition metal complexes of the type ML2 were studied. The six ML2 complexes (M = Mn(III) (), Fe(II) (), Co(III) (), Ni(II) (), Cu(II) () and Zn(II) ()) were synthesized with a redox active Schiff base ligand [2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenylamino)-4-chlorophenol] (H3L) presenting different oxidation states from -2 to 0 (L(2-), L(-) and L(0)). EPR spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate the presence of complexes of the type [Mn(III)(L(2-))(L(-))] () with S = 1/2, [Fe(II)(L(-))2] () with S = 2, [Co(III)(L(2-))(L(-))] () with S = 1/2, [Ni(II)(L(-))2] () with S = 1, [Cu(II)(L(-))2] () with S = 1/2 and [Zn(II)(L(-))2] () with S = 0 at high temperatures. Temperature and solvents influence the electronic structures of the species and give several valence tautomers. At low temperatures these complexes present thermally induced metal-to-ligand (, , ) or ligand-to-ligand (in , ) electron transfer (partial or total), resulting in compounds of the type [Mn(IV)(L(2-))2] () with S = 1/2, [Fe(III)(L(-))(L(2-))] () with S = 1, [Ni(III)(L(2-))(L(-))] () with S = 0, [Cu(II)(L(2-))(L(0))] () with S = 1/2 and [Zn(II)(L(2-))(L(0))] () with S = 1. This electron transfer is in agreement with the general trend in the redox potentials of the first row transition metal ions from Mn(ii) to Zn(ii), and it allows us to prepare and stabilize reversibly switchable tautomeric forms in transition metal complexes with redox-active ligands.

Reversible switching of electronic ground state in a pentacoordinated Cu(II) 1D cationic polymer and structural diversity.

Two copper(II) polymeric complexes {[Cu(HPymat)(MeOH)](NO3)}n (1) and {[Cu4(Pymab)4(H2O)4](NO3)4} (2) were synthesized with the carboxylate-containing Schiff-base ligands HPymat(-) and Pymab(-) [H2Pymat = (E)-2-(1-(pyridin-2-yl)methyleneamino)terephthalic acid, HPymab = (E)-2-((pyridine-2-yl)methyleneamino)benzoic acid]. Complex 1 is a one-dimensional Cu(II) cationic polymeric complex containing free protonated carboxylic groups and nitrate anions as counterions. Complex 2 is a zero-dimensional tetranuclear cationic Cu(II) complex containing nitrate anions as counterions. Complex 1 shows rhombic electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra in the solid state at room temperature (RT) and 77 K and tetragonal EPR spectra in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethylformamide (DMF) and "inverse" EPR spectrum in CH3CN. Complex 2 shows rhombic EPR spectra in the solid state at RT and 77 K. But complex 2 shows tetragonal spectra in DMSO, DMF, and CH3CN. Thermogravimetric analysis was also performed for both complexes 1 and 2. Mean-square displacement amplitude analysis was carried out to detect librational disorder along the metal-ligand bonds in crystal structures.

Relevant and unprecedented C-H/σ supramolecular interactions involving σ-aromatic M2X2 cores.

A novel type of C-H/σ supramolecular interaction involving σ-aromatic M2X2 (M = Cu, Hg; X = Cl, Br, I, S) cores is reported for the first time. Three new polymeric coordination copper complexes, {[Cu(µ-Cl)(Cl)(µ-L)]2}n (1), {[Cu(µ-I)(µ-L)]2}n (2) and [Cu(Br)2(µ-L)(CH3CN)2]2 (3), have been synthesized with the organic ligand α,ω-bis(benzotriazoloxy)propane system (L) and halides as counterions. A very interesting C-H/σ supramolecular interaction has been observed in the solid state structure of compound 2, similar to a C-Hπ interaction, which has been confirmed by Bader's "atoms-in-molecules" AIM analysis. The Nucleus Independent Chemical Shift (NICs) method was used to evaluate the aromatic character of the different cores in this study. The influence of the nature of the metal ions, bridging atoms, oxidation states, and coordination environments around the metal centers on the strength of the aromaticity of the M2X2 cores was theoretically analyzed and explained. The binding ability of the 1-alkoxy-1,2,3-benzotriazole ring to establish π-π and C-H/π interactions and how its coordination to Cu(I) and Cu(II) ions affects the strength of the aforementioned interactions have been discussed. The electron deficient triazole ring and its π-acidity increases upon coordination of the Cu ion, leading to the formation of a lone pair (lp)-π interaction involving the five-membered ring of the ligand, which has also been analyzed. We have also analyzed the C-H/σ interactions of previously reported X-ray crystal structures of different coordination polymers based on a binuclear copper(I) complex and 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, dithioethers, and benzotriazol-1-yl-based pyridyl units as ligands using I- as a counter-ion. Complex 1 shows antiferromagnetic behavior with a magnetic coupling constant of J = -7.9 cm(-1). Moreover, photoluminescence and TGA studies of the complexes were also carried out.

Reversible switching of the electronic ground state in a pentacoordinated Cu(II) complex.

An easy reversible switching of the electronic ground state in a pentacoordinated copper(II) complex is reported for the first time. The simple protonation of a carboxylic group in a Cu(II) complex with a {dx(2)-y(2)}(1) electronic configuration leads to a flip of the ground electronic configuration from {dx(2)-y(2)}(1) to {dz(2)}(1) in the metal ion.

Framework solids based on copper(II) halides (Cl/Br) and methylene-bridged bis(1-hydroxybenzotriazole): synthesis, crystal structures, magneto-structural correlation, and density functional theory (DFT) studies.

A methylene-bridged 1-hydroxybenzotriazole derived ligand L [L = 1, 3-bis(benzotriazol-1-yl)-1,3-dioxapropane] has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and structural methods. Reaction of L with two different copper(II) halides [CuX(2); X = Br, Cl] in an identical condition yields two different compounds of similar compositions, {[Cu(µ-Br)(Br)(µ-L)](2)}(n)·2nH(2)O (1) and {[Cu(µ-Cl)(Cl)(µ-L)](2)}(n)·2nH(2)O (2), both being characterized by various physicochemical techniques. Single crystal X-ray studies reveal that they appear as 2D coordination polymers with similar bridging fashion of L. Low temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic behaviors for 1 and 2 with magnetic coupling constants J = -15.2 and +1.7 cm(-1), which are in a reasonable agreement with their calculated values (J = -9.79 and +0.68 cm(-1) respectively, for 1 and 2). The role of bridging halides in the structure and magnetic properties of the complexes are investigated, and a possible magneto-structural correlation has been established. Influence of spin density of bridging halides on the magnitude of coupling constants has been discussed with the help of density functional theory (DFT) calculations.