Two New Iron(II) Spin-Crossover Complexes with N4O2 Coordination Sphere and Spin Transition around Room Temperature

The reaction of iron(II) acetate with the tetradentate Schiff base like ligand H2L1 {[3,3′]-[4,5-dihydroxy-1,2-phenylenebis(iminomethylidyne)bis(2,4-pentanedion)]} leads to the formation of the complex [FeL1(MeOH)]. Reaction of this complex with pyridine (py) or N,N′-dimethylaminopyridine (dmap) leads to the two N4O2-coordinated complexes [FeL1(py)2]·py (1) and [FeL1(dmap)2]·MeOH·0.5dmap (2). Both complexes are spin-crossover compounds that were characterised by using magnetic measurements, X-ray crystallography and temperature-dependent 1H NMR spectroscopy. Special attention was given to the role of the two hydroxy groups on the phenyl ring in the formation of a hydrogen-bonding network and the influence of this network on the spin-transition properties. Although only a gradual spin crossover was observed for both complexes, the transition temperature was shifted to higher temperatures relative to that of the complexes with no additional hydroxy groups at the Schiff base like ligand. The hydrogen-bonding network was responsible for this effect.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)