Electronic and Structural Properties of the Spin Crossover Systems Bis(2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine)iron(II) Thiocyanate and Selenocyanate

Abstract

Essentially high-spin [Fe(bpp)2][NCS]2·2H2O and [Fe(bpp)2][NCSe]2 (bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine) were isolated from an aqueous reaction mixture. Both salts undergo an abrupt transition to low spin below room temperature, that for the thiocyanate occurring in two steps and the high-spin Æ low-spin Æ high-spin cycle being accompanied by hysteresis in both steps. Recrystallization of the salts from nitromethane yielded a mixture from which bright yellow crystals were separated for structure determination. In addition, from the recrystallized selenocyanate, deep red-brown crystals of composition [Fe(bpp)2][NCSe]2·H2O·0.25 CH3NO2 were obtained. Recrystallized [Fe(bpp)2][NCS]2·2H2O and [Fe(bpp)2][NCSe]2 were identified as high spin with average Fe–N distances of 2.16 and 2.17 Å, respectively. In the unit cell of [Fe(bpp)2][NCSe]2·H2O·0.25 CH3NO2, there are four independent iron atoms, three identified as low spin and the fourth as high spin. All salts crystallize in a layer-type array involving edge-to-face and face-to-face aryl–aryl-type interactions. Hydrogen bonding between pyrazole >NH groups, anions and solvate molecules is observed. The structure of the uncoordinated ligand was also determined, the molecule being found in a planar arrangement with thecis–cis configuration for the pyrazolyl groups relative to the central pyridyl and the >NH group being at the N 2 atom. Hydrogen bonding involving the >NH groups leads to stepped stacks of molecules. The principal difference in the geometry of coordinated and free bpp molecules is a contraction in the angles about the interannular bridges in the chelate rings. [Fe(bpp)2][NCS]2·2H2O: triclinic, space group P1–, a 8.302(6), b 8.446(6), c 21.531(13) Å, a 78.78(5), b 82.80(5), g 89.85(4)˚, Z 2. [Fe(bpp)2][NCSe]2: triclinic, space group P1–, a 8.354(4), b 8.409(4), c 19.918(9) Å, a 87.02(3), b 83.15(3), g 88.86(3)˚, Z 2. [Fe(bpp)2][NCSe]2·H2O·0.25 CH3NO2: monoclinic, space group Pn, a 16.425(12), b 20.774(9), c 16.933(14) Å, b 90.91(4)˚, Z 8. Uncoordinated bpp: orthorhombic, space group Pna21, a 8.075(3), b 22.479(9), c 5.525(1) Å, b Z 4.