Luca Pilia

Near infrared light emission quenching in organolanthanide complexes

We investigate the quenching of the near infrared light emission in Er3+ complexes induced by the resonant dipolar interaction between the rare-earth ion and high frequency vibrations of the organic ligand. The nonradiative decay rate of the lanthanide ion is discussed in terms of a continuous medium approximation, which depends only on a few, easily accessible spectroscopic and structural data. The model accounts well for the available experimental results in Er3+ complexes, and predicts an ∼100% light emission quantum yield in fully halogenated systems.

Redox-Switchable Chromophores Based on Metal (Ni, Pd, Pt) Mixed-Ligand Dithiolene Complexes Showing Molecular Second-Order Nonlinear-Optical Activity

The synthesis and full characterization of the redox-active nickel triad mixed-ligand dithiolene complexes based on Bz(2)pipdt = 1,4-dibenzylpiperazine-3,2-dithione and dmit = 2-thioxo-1,3-dithiole-4,5-dithiolate ligands are reported. These complexes show a reversibly bleacheable solvatochromic peak and a remarkably high negative molecular first hyperpolarizability, whose values depend on the metal being highest for the platinum(II) compound.

Combined experimental and theoretical study on redox-active d8 metal dithione-dithiolato complexes showing molecular second-order nonlinear optical activity.

Synthesis, characterization, NLO properties, and theoretical studies of the mixed-ligand dithiolene complexes of the nickel triad [M(II)(Bz(2)pipdt)(mnt)] (Bz(2)pipdt = 1,4-dibenzyl-piperazine-3,2-dithione, mnt = maleonitriledithiolato, M(II) = Ni, 1, Pd, 2, Pt, 3) are reported. Molecular structural characterization of 1-3 points out that four sulfur atoms are in a slightly distorted square-planar geometry. While the M-S bond distances are only slightly different, comparison of the C-C and C-S bonds in the C(2)S(2)MS(2)C(2) core allows us to point out a significant difference between the C-C and the C-S distances in Bz(2)pipdt and mnt. These findings suggest assigning a dithiolato character to mnt (pull ligand) and a dithione one (push ligand) to Bz(2)pipdt. Cyclic voltammetry of 1-3 exhibits two reversible reduction waves and a broad irreversible oxidation wave. These complexes are characterized in the visible region by a peak of moderately strong intensity, which undergoes negative solvatochromism. The molecular quadratic optical nonlinearities were determined by the EFISH technique, which provided the following values μβ(λ) (10(-48) esu) = -1436 (1), -1450 (2), and -1950 (3) converted in μβ(0) (10(-48) esu) = -463 (1), -684 (2), and -822 (3), showing that these complexes exhibit large negative second-order polarizabilities whose values depend on the metal, being highest for the Pt compound. DFT and TD-DFT calculations on 1-3 allow us to correlate geometries and electronic structures. Moreover, the first molecular hyperpolarizabilities have been calculated, and the results obtained support that the most appealing candidate as a second-order NLO chromophore is the platinum compound. This is due to (i) the most extensive mixture of the dithione/metal/dithiolato orbitals, (ii) the influence of the electric field of the solvent on the frontier orbitals that maximizes the difference in dipole moments between the excited and the ground state, and (iii) the largest oscillator strength in the platinum case vs nickel and palladium ones.

A chirality-induced alpha phase and a novel molecular magnetic metal in the BEDT-TTF/tris(croconate)ferrate(III) hybrid molecular system

The novel paramagnetic and chiral anion [Fe(C5O5)3]3- has been combined with the organic donor BEDT-TTF (= ET = bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene) to yield the first chirality-induced alpha phase and a paramagnetic metal.

Mixed-ligand Pt(II) dithione-dithiolato complexes: influence of the dicyanobenzodithiolato ligand on the second-order NLO properties

The mixed-ligand dithiolene complex [Pt(Bz(2)pipdt)(dcbdt)] (1) bearing the two ligands Bz(2)pipdt = 1,4-dibenzyl-piperazine-3,2-dithione and dcbdt = dicyanobenzodithiolato, has been synthesized, characterized and studied to evaluate its second-order optical nonlinearity. The dithione/dithiolato character of the two ligands gives rise to an asymmetric distribution of the charge in the molecule. This is reflected by structural data showing that in the C(2)S(2)PtS(2)C(2) dithiolene core the four sulfur atoms define a square-planar coordination environment of the metal where the Pt-S bond distances involving the two ligands are similar, while the C-S bond distances in the C(2)S(2) units exhibit a significant difference in Bz(2)pipdt (dithione) and dcbdt (dithiolato). 1 shows a moderately strong absorption peak in the visible region, which can be related to a HOMO-LUMO transition, where the dcbdt ligand (dithiolato) contributes mostly to the HOMO, and the Bz(2)pipdt one (dithione) mostly to the LUMO. Thus this transition has ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (CT) character with some contribution of the metal and undergoes negative solvatochromism and molecular quadratic optical nonlinearity (μβ(0) = -1296 × 10(-48) esu), which was determined by the EFISH (electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation) technique and compared with the values of similar complexes on varying the dithiolato ligand (mnt = maleonitriledithiolato, dmit = 2-thioxo-1,3-dithiole-4,5-dithiolato). Theoretical calculations help to elucidate the role of the dithiolato ligands in affecting the molecular quadratic optical nonlinearity of these complexes.

Innocence and noninnocence of the ligands in bis(pyrazine-2,3-dithiolate and -diselonate) d8-metal complexes. A theoretical and experimental study for the Cu(III), Au(III) and Ni(II) cases

In this paper we present an experimental and theoretical study to investigate the electronic structures of [ML₂]⁻ (M(III) = Cu, L = pdt and pds, pyrazine-2,3-dithiolate and -diselonate; M(III) = Au, L = pds) with the aim of elucidating the nature of the bonding and to establish the innocent-noninnocent character of the ligand in these complexes. Calculations based on DFT methods have been performed to obtain geometry optimizations, harmonic frequencies, IR intensities and Raman scattering activities. The experimental vibrational spectra are accurately reproduced by the calculations, which show that CC, CN, and CX (X = S, Se) vibrations are extensively mixed with other modes, and thus unsuitable to work as vibrational markers. Geometry optimization performed at the DFT level provides geometrical parameters in good agreement with the available structural data. The energetic sequence and nature of the redox-active molecular orbitals help to elucidate the observed electrochemical behaviour. Accordingly, the quasi-reversible redox couple for the reduction processes exhibited by [ML₂]²⁻ (L = pdt and pds), that appears at negative values and depends both on the ligand and on the metal, is related to the LUMO which is a σ antibonding combination of the ligand orbitals (sulfur or selenium atoms) and the 3d(xy) (Cu) and 5d(xy) (Au) metal orbitals. The HOMO is a π-orbital with a b(2g) symmetry, predominantly ligand in character with a small contribution of the nd(xz) atomic orbitals in antibonding combination with chalcogen atom orbitals. The low energy of the metal d-orbitals compared to the ligand orbitals, due to the high effective nuclear charge of the metals, explains their small participation to this orbital. Thus in [ML₂]⁻ the metals approach the oxidation state 3+ and the ligand a dichalcogenolate description and thus a prevalent innocent character. However the same ligand shows a noninnocent character in complexes with a different d⁸ metal such as Ni(II) whose d-orbitals lie at higher energies and mix at a higher extent with the ligand orbitals in the HOMO.

New powerful reagents based on dihalogen/N,N′-dimethylperhydrodiazepine-2,3-dithione adducts for gold dissolution: the IBr case

The synthesis, X-ray structure [monoclinic, P21/n, a = 12.1690(1), b = 7.8360(1), c = 14.4250(1) A, β = 113.808(2)°], spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization of a new powerful reagent based on the iodine monobromide adduct of the N,N′-dimethylperhydrodiazepine-2,3-dithione (Me2dazdt) ligand, able to oxidize gold metal in a one-step reaction under mild conditions, is reported. The gold metal dissolution has been performed on gold powder, wires and Au/Ti thin layers. The oxidation product has been isolated and structurally characterised as [Au(Me2dazdt)Br2]IBr2 [monoclinic, C2/c, a = 26.523(8), b = 10.191(6), c = 14.549(7) A, β = 111.57(2)°]. The metal is essentially within a square planar geometry, Me2dazdt acts as an S,S chelating ligand and two bromide ligands complete the geometry around the metal. The IBr2− counteranion is essentially linear and shows I–Br bond lengths slightly asymmetric [Br(4)–I(1) 2.742(3), Br(3)–I(1) 2.682(2) A]. A comparison with the gold removal from Si/SiO2/Au/Ti thin layers of comparable thickness to that found in microelectronic devices, by using THF solutions of IBr and I2 adducts of the Me2dazdt donor, as well as the currently used I2/I− aqueous solutions, shows that these dihalogens-adducts produce a quantitative gold removal in shorter times and leaving the underlying layer perfectly clean, and are thus highly desirable as new etching agents in the gold-based technology of semiconductor devices.

Synthesis and physical properties of K 4[Fe(C5O5)2(H 2O)2](HC5O5) 24H2O (C5O5)2- = croconate): A rare example of ferromagnetic coupling via H-bonds

The reaction of the croconate dianion (C(5)O(5))(2-) with a Fe(III) salt has led, unexpectedly, to the formation of the first example of a discrete Fe(II)-croconate complex without additional coligands, K(4)[Fe(C(5)O(5))(2)(H(2)O)(2)](HC(5)O(5))(2)·4H(2)O (1). 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2(1)/c space group and presents discrete octahedral Fe(II) complexes coordinated by two chelating C(5)O(5)(2-) anions in the equatorial plane and two trans axial water molecules. The structure can be viewed as formed by alternating layers of trans-diaquabis(croconato)ferrate(II) complexes and layers containing the monoprotonated croconate anions, HC(5)O(5)(-), and noncoordinated water molecules. Both kinds of layers are directly connected through a hydrogen bond between an oxygen atom of the coordinated dianion and the protonated oxygen atom of the noncoordinated croconate monoanion. A H-bond network is also formed between the coordinated water molecule and one oxygen atom of the coordinated croconate. This H-bond can be classified as strong-moderate being the O···O bond distance (2.771(2) Å) typical of moderate H-bonds and the O-H···O bond angle (174(3)°) typical of strong ones. This H-bond interaction leads to a quadratic regular layer where each [Fe(C(5)O(5))(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2-) anion is connected to its four neighbors in the plane through four equivalent H-bonds. From the magnetic point of view, these connections lead to an S = 2 quadratic layer. The magnetic properties of 1 have been reproduced with a 2D square lattice model for S = 2 ions with g = 2.027(2) and J = 4.59(3) cm(-1). This model reproduces quite satisfactorily its magnetic properties but only above the maximum. A better fit is obtained by considering an additional antiferromagnetic weak interlayer coupling constant (j) through a molecular field approximation with g = 2.071(7), J = 2.94(7) cm(-1), and j = -0.045(2) cm(-1) (the Hamiltonian is written as H = -JS(i)S(j)). Although this second model might still be improved since there is also an extra contribution due to the presence of ZFS in the Fe(II) ions, it confirms the presence of weak ferromagnetic Fe-Fe interactions through H-bonds in compound 1 which represents one of the rare examples of ferromagnetic coupling via H-bonds.

Conductive thin films of θ-(BETS)4[Fe(CN)5NO] on silicon electrodes – new perspectives on charge transfer salts

An alternate electrodeposition method using large surface silicon electrodes as anodes to prepare thin films of radical cation salts has been developed. We report on its use for the preparation of the radical cation salt containing the BETS molecule [BETS=bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene] and the photochromic nitroprusside [Fe(CN)5NO]2− anion, i.e. θ-(BETS)4[Fe(CN)5NO]. The use of various techniques, such as SEM/EDX, XPS, X-ray, IR and Raman, unambiguously confirmed that the film is made of the θ-(BETS)4[Fe(CN)5NO] phase previously obtained as single crystals on platinum electrodes. These results show that it is possible to electrodeposit cation radical salts on silicon wafers. In addition, this new method of electrodeposition proves to be extremely useful for preparing the large amounts of product (several hundreds of milligrams) often required for physical measurements.

(BETS)2[Fe(tdas)2]2: a new metal in the molecular conductor family.

The structure of bis[4,5-ethylenedithio-2-(4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-diselenacyclopent-4-en-2-ylidene)-1,3-diselenacyclopent-4-enium] bis(mu-1,2,5-thiadiazole-3,4-dithiolato-kappa3S4,S5:S4)bis[(1,2,5-thiadiazole-3,4-dithiolato-kappa2S4,S5)iron(III)], (BETS)(2)[Fe(tdas)(2)](2) [BETS is alternatively called bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalenium] or (C(10)H(8)S(4)Se(4))(2)[(Fe(C(2)N(2)S(3))(2))(2)], consists of segregated columns of dimers of BETS and columns of dimers of [Fe(tdas)(2)]. Each dimer displays inversion symmetry. Numerous chalcogen-chalcogen contacts are observed within and between the columns, producing a network of interactions responsible for the metal-like behaviour of the compound.