Synthesis and spectroscopic studies on chromium(III) complex containing mixed-valence chrysenesemiquinone-chrysenecatecholate ligands and 2,2'-bipyridine coligand.

The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of Cr(bpy)(chrySQ)(chryCat), a complex containing chromium(III) metal ion and chrysenequinone ligand in its partially reduced (chrySQ) and fully reduced (chryCat) forms, are described. The complex has been prepared by two different routes from Cr(CO)6 and Cr(chrySQ)3. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated a strong antiferromagnetic coupling between Cr(III) (S=3/2) and chrysenesemiquinone radical (S=1/2), giving a magnetic coupling constant J=-342 cm(-1). Ligand-based redox couples were observed in the electrochemical studies that consist of quasi-reversible chrySQ/chryCat and bpy/bpy*- reductions and chryCat/chrySQ oxidation at negative potentials and irreversible chrySQ/chryBQ oxidation at positive potential. However, the metal was inert in the studied potential range. The electronic spectra of the complex revealed interesting properties. In addition to interaligand pi-pi* and n-pi* transitions, other bands corresponding to Cr(t(2g))-->chrySQ(pi*) and Cr(t(2g))-->bpy(pi*) metal-to-ligand charge-transfer MLCT transitions were observed. The infrared spectral analysis was informative in assigning the vibrations due to SQ and Cat ligands. Also, it was a useful tool in confirming the coordination of bpy ligand to chromium metal ion.

Iron-Semiquinone, Semiquinone-Semiquinone, and Iron-Iron Magnetic Exchange in Monomeric and Dimeric Ferric Complexes Containing the 3,6-Di-tert-butyl-1,2-semiquinonate Ligand.

Fe(3,6-DBSQ)(3) has been prepared by reacting 3,6-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone with Fe(CO)(5). The complex has been characterized structurally [orthorhombic, Pbca, a = 18.277(5) Å, b = 11.634(3) Å, c = 39.903(10) Å, V = 8485(4) Å(3), Z = 8, R = 0.063], electrochemically, and magnetically. Ligand-based redox couples are observed in electrochemical experiments that consist of reversible or quasireversible Cat/SQ steps at negative potentials and irreversible SQ/BQ oxidations at positive potentials. Magnetic measurements show temperature dependence that arises from antiferromagnetic exchange. Data have been fit to an expression that includes the effects of both Fe-SQ and SQ-SQ exchange with the result that J(SQ-SQ) is larger in magnitude than J(Fe-SQ). In methanol, the complex undergoes solvolysis to form [Fe(3,6-DBSQ)(2)(&mgr;-OMe)](2). Structural characterization [triclinic, P&onemacr;, a = 11.441(2) Å, b = 11.514(2) Å, c = 14.552(2) Å, alpha = 67.86(1) degrees, beta = 70.51(1) degrees, gamma = 72.79(1) degrees, V = 1641.8(5) Å(3), Z = 1, R = 0.048] has shown that the molecule is a centrosymmetric dimer with no close intermolecular contacts. The temperature dependence of magnetic measurements has been fit to a model consisting of two interacting S = (3)/(2) centers that arise from strong Fe-SQ exchange with J(Fe-Fe) = -22.4 cm(-1).