A structural study of a three-membered linear metal chain compound at elevated pressure.

Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the symmetrical molecular wire compound Co3(dpa)4Cl2·(dcm) have been performed up to a pressure of 3.6 GPa using both synchrotron and conventional sources. It is found that the terminal Co-Cl bond distance initially increases by 0.013(4) Å at 0.32 GPa after which it continuously decreases. Extensive theoretical calculations show that population of a thermally excited state containing increased Co-Cl anti-bonding character is a possibility at 0.32 GPa. The relative occupancy of the disordered dcm solvent molecule changes significantly with pressure and this is explained by the analysis of void spaces and Hirshfeld surfaces at different pressures. At 3.2 GPa, fingerprint plots derived from Hirshfeld surfaces indicate that neighbouring metal chain compounds approach each other such that short H···H interactions appear.

Pressure versus temperature effects on intramolecular electron transfer in mixed-valence complexes.

Mixed-valence trinuclear carboxylates, [M(3)O(O(2)CR)(6)L(3)] (M = metal, L = terminal ligand), have small differences in potential energy between the configurations M(II)M(III)M(III)⇔M(III)M(II)M(III)⇔M(III)M(III)M(II), which means that small external changes can have large structural effects, owing to the differences in coordination geometry between M(2+) and M(3+) sites (e.g., about 0.2 Šfor Fe-O bond lengths). It is well-established that the electron transfer (ET) between the metal sites in these mixed-valence molecules is strongly dependent on temperature and on the specific crystal environment; however, herein, for the first time, we examine the effect of pressure on the electron transfer. Based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction data that were measured at 15, 90, 100, 110, 130, 160, and 298 K on three different crystals, we first unexpectedly found that our batch of Fe(3)O (O(2)CC(CH(3))(3))(6)(C(5)H(5)N)(3) (1) exhibited a different temperature dependence of the ET process than previous studies of compound 1 have shown. We observed a phase transition at around 130 K that was related to complete valence trapping and Hirshfeld surface analysis revealed that this phase transition was governed by a subtle competition between C-H⋅⋅⋅π and π⋅⋅⋅π intermolecular interactions. Subsequent high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction at pressures of 0.15, 0.35, 0.45, 0.74, and 0.96 GPa revealed that it was not possible to trigger the phase transition (i.e., valence trapping) by a reduction of the unit-cell volume, owing to this external pressure. We conclude that modulation of the ET process requires anisotropic changes in the intermolecular interactions, which occur when various directional chemical bonds are affected differently by changes in temperature, but not by the application of pressure.

Time-resolved Laue diffraction of excited species at atomic resolution: 100 ps single-pulse diffraction of the excited state of the organometallic complex Rh2(µ-PNP)2(PNP)2·BPh4.

The polychromatic Laue technique has been applied in 100 ps delay synchrotron pump-probe experiments of the triplet excited state of a Rh(I) dinuclear complex. The observed contraction of the Rh-Rh distance of 0.154 (13) Å is less than predicted by a series of theoretical calculations, a difference attributed to the constraining effect of the crystal lattice.

Optimizing the accuracy and precision of the single-pulse Laue technique for synchrotron photo-crystallography.

The accuracy that can be achieved in single-pulse pump-probe Laue experiments is discussed. It is shown that with careful tuning of the experimental conditions a reproducibility of the intensity ratios of equivalent intensities obtained in different measurements of 3-4% can be achieved. The single-pulse experiments maximize the time resolution that can be achieved and, unlike stroboscopic techniques in which the pump-probe cycle is rapidly repeated, minimize the temperature increase due to the laser exposure of the sample.

Charge-density analysis of the ground state of a photochromic 1,10-phenanthroline zinc(II) bis(thiolate) complex.

The charge density of the title compound was determined at 90 K, using a spherical crystal of 150 microm diameter. The proper treatment of the Zn atom in the pseudo-tetrahedral environment is considered in detail. A satisfactory refinement is only obtained when anharmonic Gram-Charlier parameters are included as variables in the refinement. A successful combined anharmonic/multipole refinement indicates a small polarization of the 4s shell in the anisotropic environment. One of the two toluenethiols is approximately pi-stacked with the phenanthroline ligand. A bond path is found connecting the two ligands. In addition the Zn-S bond to this ligand is slightly extended compared with the same bond to the second toluenethiol. A separate photocrystallographic and theoretical study indicates the long wavelength emission of the title compound to be due to a ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) from a toluenethiol to the phenanthroline ligand. The charge-density results do not provide a basis for deciding which of the thiole ligands is the source of the transferred electron density. This result is in agreement with the theoretical calculations, which show comparable oscillator strengths for charge transfer from either of the ligands.

Time-resolved synchrotron diffraction and theoretical studies of very short-lived photo-induced molecular species.

Definitive experimental results on the geometry of fleeting species are at the time of writing still limited to monochromatic data collection, but methods for modifications of the polychromatic Laue data to increase their accuracy and their suitability for pump-probe experiments have been implemented and are reviewed. In the monochromatic experiments summarized, excited-state conversion percentages are small when neat crystals are used, but are higher when photoactive species are embedded in an inert framework in supramolecular crystals. With polychromatic techniques and increasing source brightness, smaller samples down to tenths of a micrometre or less can be used, increasing homogeneity of exposure and the fractional population of the excited species. Experiments described include a series of transition metal complexes and a fully organic example involving excimer formation. In the final section, experimental findings are compared with those from theoretical calculations on the isolated species. Qualitative agreement is generally obtained, but the theoretical results are strongly dependent on the details of the calculation, indicating the need for further systematic analysis.

Charge density analysis of the (C-C)-->Ti agostic interactions in a titanacyclobutane complex.

The experimental electron density study of Ti(C(5)H(4)Me)(2)[(CH(2))(2)CMe(2)] provides direct evidence for the presence of (C-C)-->Ti agostic interactions. In accord with the model of Scherer and McGrady, the C(alpha)-C(beta) bond densities no longer show cylindrical symmetry in the vicinity of the Ti atom and differ markedly from those of the other C-C bonds. At the points along the C(alpha)-C(beta) bond where the deviation is maximal the electron density is elongated toward the metal center. The distortion is supported by parallel theoretical calculations. A calculation on an Mo complex in which the agostic interaction is absent supports the Scherer and McGrady criterion for agostic interactions. Despite the formal d(0) electron configuration for this Ti(IV) species, a significant nonzero population is observed for the d orbitals, the d orbital population is largest for the d(xy) orbital, the lobes of which point toward the two C(alpha) atoms. Of the three different basis sets for the Ti atom used in theoretical calculations with the B3LYP functional, only the 6-311++G** set for Ti agrees well with the experimental charge density distribution in the Ti-(C(alpha)-C(beta))(2) plane.

The RATIO method for time-resolved Laue crystallography.

A RATIO method for analysis of intensity changes in time-resolved pump-probe Laue diffraction experiments is described. The method eliminates the need for scaling the data with a wavelength curve representing the spectral distribution of the source and removes the effect of possible anisotropic absorption. It does not require relative scaling of series of frames and removes errors due to all but very short term fluctuations in the synchrotron beam.

Electron density analyses of opioids: a comparative study.

The electron densities of five morphine related molecules (codeine, diprenorphine, naltrexone in the neutral and protonated states, and dextromethorphan) were determined from high-resolution X-ray diffraction experiments (Mo Kalpha and synchrotron primary radiation) at low temperature and CCD area detection techniques. Bond topological analyses were applied, and a partitioning of the molecules into atomic regions making use of Bader's zero flux surfaces yielded atomic volumes and charges. The obtained atom and bonding properties were compared to the results of a previous experimental study of morphine and to theoretical calculations. Experimental and theoretical properties for all chemically equivalent bonds agree within an uncertainty range as is otherwise seen for different theoretical calculations. Hence, the transferability of chemically equivalent submolecular properties, being a key issue of the atoms in molecules (AIM) theory, has been verified experimentally in this class of chemically related molecules. On the other hand, topological differences could clearly be verified in regions with different chemical environments. Electron density differences between the two forms of naltrexone were examined and made visible in an extended region around the nitrogen atom which is once in a neutral state and once in a positively charged state.

Bond orders and atomic properties of the highly deformed halogenated fullerenes C60F18 and C60Cl30 derived from their charge densities.

The experimental charge densities of the halogenated C(60) fullerenes C(60)F(18) and C(60)Cl(30) were determined from high-resolution X-ray data sets measured with conventional Mo(Kalpha) radiation at 20 K for C(60)Cl(30) and with synchrotron radiation at 92 K for the fluorine compound. Bond topological and atomic properties were analyzed by using Bader's AIM theory. For the different C--C bonds, which vary in lengths between 1.35 and 1.70 A bond orders n between n=2 and significantly below n=1 were calculated from the bond topological properties at the bond critical points (BCP's). The low bond orders are seen for 5/6 bonds with each contributing carbon carrying a halogen atom. By integration over Bader's zero flux basins in the electron density gradient vector field atomic properties were also obtained. In contrast to free C(60), in which all carbon atoms have a uniform volume of 11 A(3) and zero charge, atomic volumes vary roughly between 5 and 10 A(3) in the halogenated compounds. Almost zero atomic charges are also found in the Cl derivative but a charge separation up to +/-0.8 e exists between C and F in C(60)F(18) due to the higher fluorine electronegativity, which is also seen in the electrostatic potential for which the electronegativity difference between carbon and fluorine, and the addition to one hemisphere of the fullerene cage leads to a strong potential gradient along the C(60)F(18) molecule. From the summation over all atomic volumes it follows that the halogen addition does not only lead to a dramatic distortion of the C(60) cage but also to a significant shrinkage of its volume.

Charge density of (-)-strychnine from 100 to 15 K, a comparison of four data sets.

Strychnine has an interesting oligocyclic structure of seven condensed rings. It is easy to crystallize and gives crystals of excellent quality which diffract nicely to high regions in reciprocal space. It was thus chosen for a comparative charge-density study based on four high-resolution data sets (sin theta;/lambda >or= 1.15 A-1) that were measured with different experimental setups in the temperature range 100-15 K. In addition, a theoretical charge density was derived from a B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) calculation. The agreement expressed in bond topological parameters among the four experimental charge densities is better than between experiment and theory.

High-resolution synchrotron data collection for charge-density work at 100 and 20 K.

For the measurement of very accurate high-resolution X-ray data for charge-density work, synchrotron beamlines provide a bright radiation source of outstanding properties. Most important are the very high primary intensity and the possibility of choosing hard radiation with lambda approximately 0.5 A or even shorter. This together with area detection and a stable low-temperature device means that accurate and large data sets can be measured in a short time. A number of data collections are reported, which were carried out at the beamlines F1 and D3 of Hasylab (DESY, Hamburg) first at 100 K and later at 15-20 K, demonstrating the quality of the measured intensities. A low temperature of around 20 K was obtained at beamline D3 with a double-stage closed-cycle helium cryostat where the standard beryllium cylinder of the vacuum chamber was replaced by a 0.1 mm Kapton film. Comparison of different data sets measured for a strychnine crystal demonstrated how I/sigma ratios favorably improve if synchrotron radiation at a low temperature of 15 K was used. Synchrotron-based studies on several biologically active compounds are briefly summarized and a synchrotron experiment of an otherwise not sufficiently diffracting crystal of a tetraphenyl barbaralane derivative is described in detail. Atomic volumes and charges of a highly substituted C(60) fullerene are reported derived from a synchrotron data set of more than 350000 reflections.

Experimental charge density of octafluoro-1,2-dimethylenecyclobutane: atomic volumes and charges in a perfluorinated hydrocarbon.

Octafluoro-1,2-dimethylenecyclobutane, mp. 238 K, was crystallized in situ on a SMART 1000-CCD diffractometer, and high order X-ray diffraction data were collected at 100 K for a charge density determination. A topological analysis was applied and a partitioning of the molecule into atomic regions making use of Bader's zero flux surfaces yielded atomic volumes and charges. Corresponding atomic properties were also derived theoretically from B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) wavefunctions. While for carbon the volumes and charges are largely dependent on their bonding environment, fluorine has an almost constant atomic volume around 16-17 A3 and a charge between -0.6 and -0.7e, not only in the title compound, but also in two further perfluorinated hydrocarbons, of which the charge densities were determined earlier.