Person:

Betley, Theodore

Using a trinucleating hexaamide ligand platform, the all-ferrous hexanuclear cluster (HL)2Fe6 (1) is obtained from reaction of 3 equiv of Fe2(Mes)4 (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2) with 2 equiv of the ligand (HL)H6. Compound 1 was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, 57Fe Mössbauer, SQUID magnetometry, mass spectrometry, and combustion analysis, providing evidence for an S = 6 ground state and delocalized electronic structure. The cyclic voltammogram of [(HL)2Fe6]n+ in acetonitrile reveals a rich redox chemistry, featuring five fully reversible redox events that span six oxidation states ([(HL)2Fe6]n+, where n = −1 → 4) within a 1.3 V potential range. Accordingly, each of these species is readily accessed chemically to provide the electron-transfer series [(HL)2Fe6(NCMe)m][PF6]n (m = 0, n = −1 (2); m = 2, n = 1 (3); m = 4, n = 2 (4); m = 6, n = 3 (5); m = 6, n = 4 (6)). Compounds 2–6 were isolated and characterized by X-ray diffraction, 57Fe Mössbauer and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and combustion analysis. Two-electron oxidation of the tetracationic cluster in 6 by 2 equiv of [NO]+ generates the thermally unstable hexacationic cluster [(HL)2Fe6(NCMe)m]6+, which is characterized by NMR and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Importantly, several stepwise systematic metrical changes accompany oxidation state changes to the [Fe6] core, namely trans ligation of solvent molecules and variation in Mössbauer spectra, spin ground state, and intracluster Fe–Fe separation. The observed metrical changes are rationalized by considering a qualitative, delocalized molecular orbital description, which provides a set of frontier orbitals populated by Fe 3d electrons.

A modular hexadentate polyamide ligand directs the assembly of triiron complexes (see structure). Crystallographic studies reveal significant metal–metal bonding interactions, which are enhanced upon oxidation.

Oxidation of the nominally all-ferrous hexanuclear cluster (HL)2Fe6 with six equivalents of ferrocenium in the presence of bromide ions results in a six-electron oxidation of the Fe6 core to afford the nominally all-ferric cluster (HL)2Fe6Br6. The hexabromide cluster is also structurally characterized in a 4+ core oxidation state. A structural comparison of these two clusters provides an insight into the Fe6 core electronic structure.

Utilizing a hexadentate ligand platform, a trinuclear manganese complex of the type (HL)Mn3(thf)3 was synthesized and characterized ([HL]6– = [MeC(CH2N(C6H4-o-NH))3]6–). The pale-orange, formally divalent trimanganese complex rapidly reacts with O-atom transfer reagents to afford the μ6-oxo complex (HL)2Mn6(μ6-O)(NCMe)4, where two trinuclear subunits bind the central O-atom and the (HL) ligands cooperatively bind both trinuclear subunits. The trimanganese complex (HL)Mn3(thf)3 rapidly consumes inorganic azide ([N3]NBu4) to afford a dianionic hexanuclear nitride complex (HL)2Mn6(μ6-N)2, which subsequently can be oxidized with elemental iodine to (HL)2Mn6(μ6-N)(NCMe)4. EPR and alkylation of the interstitial light atom substituent were used to distinguish the nitride from the oxo complex. The oxo and oxidized nitride complexes give rise to well-defined Mn(II) and Mn(III) sites, determined by bond valence summation, while the dianionic nitride shows a more symmetric complex, giving rise to indistinguishable ion oxidation states based on crystal structure bond metrics.