María Castellano

Dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes as multifunctional magnetic devices: a joint experimental and computational study.

Metallosupramolecular complexes constitute an important advance in the emerging fields of molecular spintronics and quantum computation and a useful platform in the development of active components of spintronic circuits and quantum computers for applications in information processing and storage. The external control of chemical reactivity (electro- and photochemical) and physical properties (electronic and magnetic) in metallosupramolecular complexes is a current challenge in supramolecular coordination chemistry, which lies at the interface of several other supramolecular disciplines, including electro-, photo-, and magnetochemistry. The specific control of current flow or spin delocalization through a molecular assembly in response to one or many input signals leads to the concept of developing a molecule-based spintronics that can be viewed as a potential alternative to the classical molecule-based electronics. A great variety of factors can influence over these electronically or magnetically coupled, metallosupramolecular complexes in a reversible manner, electronic or photonic external stimuli being the most promising ones. The response ability of the metal centers and/or the organic bridging ligands to the application of an electric field or light irradiation, together with the geometrical features that allow the precise positioning in space of substituent groups, make these metal-organic systems particularly suitable to build highly integrated molecular spintronic circuits. In this Account, we describe the chemistry and physics of dinuclear copper(II) metallacyclophanes with oxamato-containing dinucleating ligands featuring redox- and photoactive aromatic spacers. Our recent works on dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes and earlier ones on related organic cyclophanes are now compared in a critical manner. Special focus is placed on the ligand design as well as in the combination of experimental and computational methods to demonstrate the multifunctionality nature of these metallosupramolecular complexes. This new class of oxamato-based dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes affords an excellent synthetic and theoretical set of models for both chemical and physical fundamental studies on redox- and photo-triggered, long-distance electron exchange phenomena, which are two major topics in molecular magnetism and molecular electronics. Apart from their use as ground tests for the fundamental research on the relative importance of the spin delocalization and spin polarization mechanisms of the electron exchange interaction through extended π-conjugated aromatic ligands in polymetallic complexes, oxamato-based dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes possessing spin-containing electro- and chromophores at the metal and/or the ligand counterparts emerge as potentially active (magnetic and electronic) molecular components to build a metal-based spintronic circuit. They are thus unique examples of multifunctional magnetic complexes to get single-molecule spintronic devices by controlling and allowing the spin communication, when serving as molecular magnetic couplers and wires, or by exhibiting bistable spin behavior, when acting as molecular magnetic rectifiers and switches. Oxamato-based dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes also emerge as potential candidates for the study of coherent electron transport through single molecules, both experimentally and theoretically. The results presented herein, which are a first step in the metallosupramolecular approach to molecular spintronics, intend to attract the attention of physicists and materials scientists with a large expertice in the manipulation and measurement of single-molecule electron transport properties, as well as in the processing and addressing of molecules on different supports.

Photoswitching of the antiferromagnetic coupling in an oxamato-based dicopper(II) anthracenophane

Thermally reversible photomagnetic (ON/OFF) switching behavior has been observed in a dinuclear oxamatocopper(II) anthracenophane upon UV light irradiation and heating; the two Cu(II) ions (S(Cu) = 1/2) that are antiferromagnetically coupled in the dicopper(II) metallacyclic precursor (ON state) become uncoupled in the corresponding [4+4] photocycloaddition product (OFF state), as substantiated from both experimental and theoretical studies.

Topological control in the hydrogen bond-directed self-assembly of ortho-, meta-, and para-phenylene-substituted dioxamic acid diethyl esters

The structures of the series of N,N′-1,n-phenylenebis(oxamic acid ethyl ester) molecules with n = 2 (H2Et2opba, 1), 3 (H2Et2mpba, 2), and 4 (H2Et2ppba, 3) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Density functional (DF) calculations have been performed on the simplest model system N-phenyloxamic acid methyl ester (HMepma). Compounds 1–3 have either folded (H2Et2opba), bent (H2Et2mpba), or linear (H2Et2ppba) almost planar (periplanar) molecular configurations with the two oxalamide moieties being slightly tilted up and down, respectively, with respect to the benzene ring. The energy calculations as a function of the torsion angle (ϕ) around the N(amide)–C(benzene) bond for HMepma reveal that the minimum energy syn and anti periplanar conformations of the carboxamide functions are more stable than the corresponding syn and anti planar ones (ϕ = 0 and 180°) by 0.18 and 0.13 kcal mol−1, respectively. The calculated ϕ values for the syn and anti periplanar minimized conformers of HMepma are 16.0 and 200.0°, respectively, in reasonable agreement with the experimental values for 1–3 [ϕ = 39.0(4) and 225.0(3) (H2Et2opba), 32.6(5) (H2Et2mpba), and 34.7(2)° (H2Et2ppba)]. This situation likely minimizes the forced repulsive interactions between the amide hydrogen and the nearest benzene hydrogen atoms while it maximizes the attractive interactions between the carbonyl amide oxygen and the nearest benzene hydrogen atoms, which are then implicated in a relatively weak, intramolecular C–H(benzene)⋯OC(amide) hydrogen bond [d(H⋯O) = 2.45(2)–2.57(2) A]. A supramolecular aggregation of molecules into either a duplex (H2Et2opba) or a brick-wall sheet (H2Et2ppba) occurs for 1 and 3, respectively, through moderately strong, intermolecular N–H(amide)⋯OC(amide) hydrogen bonds [d′(H⋯O) = 2.17(2)–2.37(2) A]. By contrast, moderately weak, intermolecular N–H(amide)⋯OC(ester) hydrogen bonds between the H2Et2mpba molecules are involved in 2 to give a meso-helical chain with a unique hydrogen-bonded oxalamide acid ester dimeric unit. The energy calculations as a function of the intermolecular N–H(amide)⋯OC(ester) hydrogen bond distance (d′) for the {HMepma}2 dimer show an energy minimum at 2.37 A, in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 2 [d′(H⋯O) = 2.42(4) A]. The calculated value of the hydrogen bond energy for {HMepma}2 (EHB = 4.83 kcal mol−1) is consistent with a partially covalent nature of the interaction between the amide hydrogen and the carbonyl ester oxygen atoms, as confirmed by the existence of a significant electron density delocalization within the resulting four-center H2O2 diamond core.

Self-assembly, metal binding ability, and magnetic properties of dinickel(II) and dicobalt(II) triple mesocates

Two metallacyclic complexes of general formula Na8[MII2L3]·xH2O [M = Ni (4) and Co (5) with x = 15 (4) and 17 (5)] have been self-assembled in aqueous solution from N,N′-1,3-phenylenebis(oxamic acid) (H4L) and M2+ ions in a ligand/metal molar ratio of 3 : 2 in the presence of NaOH acting as base. X-Ray structural analyses of 4 and 5 show triple-stranded, dinuclear anions of the meso-helicate-type (so-called mesocates) with C3h molecular symmetry. The two octahedral metal–tris(oxamate) moieties of opposite chiralities (Δ,Λ form) are connected by three m-phenylene spacers at intermetallic distances of 6.822(2) (4) and 6.868(2) A (5) to give a metallacryptand core. In the crystal lattice, the binding of these heterochiral dinickel(II) and dicobalt(II) triple mesocates to sodium(I) ions leads to oxamato-bridged heterobimetallic three-dimensional open-frameworks with a hexagonal diamond architecture having small pores of 17.566(4) (4) and 17.640(2) A (5) in diameter where the crystallization water molecules and the sodium(I) countercations are hosted. Variable temperature (2.0–300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal relatively anisotropic S = 2 NiII2 (4) and S = 3 CoII2 (5) ground states resulting from the moderate to weak intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling between the two high-spin NiII (SNi = 1) or CoII (SCo = 3/2) ions across the m-phenylenediamidate bridges [J = +3.6 (4) and +1.1 cm−1 (5); H = −JS1·S2]. A simple molecular orbital analysis of the electron exchange interaction identifies the π-type pathways of the meta-substituted phenylene spacers involving the dz2 and dx2−y2 pairs of magnetic orbitals of the two trigonally distorted octahedral high-spin MII ions (M = Ni and Co) as responsible for the overall ferromagnetic coupling observed in 4 and 5 in agreement with a spin polarization mechanism. The decrease of the overall ferromagnetic coupling from 4 to 5 is in turn explained by the additional antiferromagnetic exchange contribution involving the dxy pair of magnetic orbitals of the two trigonally distorted octahedral high-spin CoII ions across the σ-type pathway of the meta-substituted phenylene spacers.

Dicopper(II) anthraquinophanes as multielectron reservoirs for oxidation and reduction: a joint experimental and theoretical study.

Two new dinuclear copper(II) metallacyclophanes with 1,4-disubstituted 9,10-anthraquinonebis(oxamate) bridging ligands are reported that can reversibly take and release electrons at the redox-active ligand and metal sites, respectively, to give the corresponding mono- and bis(semiquinonate and/or catecholate) Cu(II)2 species and mixed-valent Cu(II)/Cu(III) and high-valent Cu(III)2 ones. Density functional calculations allow us to give further insights on the dual ligand- and metal-based character of the redox processes in this novel family of antiferromagnetically coupled di- copper(II) anthraquinophanes. This unique ability for charge storage could be the basis for the development of new kinds of molecular spintronic devices, referred to as molecular magnetic capacitors (MMCs).

Dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes with photoswitchable oligoacene spacers: a joint experimental and computational study on molecular magnetic photoswitches

Abstract Dinuclear copper(II) complexes of the metallacyclophane-type, (nBu4N)4[Cu2(2,6-anba)2] (1) and (nBu4N)4[Cu2(1,5-naba)2]·4H2O (2) with photoactive 2,6-anthracene-(2,6-anba) and 1,5-naphthalenebis(oxamate) (1,5-naba) bridging ligands, are reported. They undergo a thermally reversible, solid-state photomagnetic (ON/OFF) switching between the moderately strong antiferromagnetically coupled dicopper(II) species and the corresponding magnetically uncoupled [4+4] photocycloaddition product. Density functional calculations give further insights on the intramolecular (“pseudo-bimolecular”) photocycloaddition reaction of the two facing 2,6-anthracene or 1,5-naphthalene spacers in this novel family of dicopper(II) oligoacenophanes. The unique ability of oligoacenes as photoswitchable antiferromagnetic wires between two CuII ions separated by relatively long intermetallic distances could be the basis for the development of new kinds of molecular spintronic devices, referred to as molecular magnetic switches.

Growth of thin films of single-chain magnets on functionalized silicon surfaces

Abstract A one-pot strategy for the direct growth of continuous and regular thin films of a neutral oxamato-bridged heterobimetallic chain, synthesized from Co2+ nitrate and the tetramethylammonium salt of the anionic copper(II) complex (Me4N)2[Cu(2,6-Et2pa)2]·6H2O (1) (2,6-Etpa = N-2,6-diethylphenyloxamate) over Si(111) surfaces functionalized with carboxylic acid terminating groups has been developed. Variation of the growth conditions can provide important differences in the morphology of the obtained films when working in H2O at 20 °C. An anisotropic growth of 1-D fibers is observed under stoichiometric conditions (Co2+/1 = 1:1), while an isotropic growth of 3-D particles occurs for an excess of Co2+, as demonstrated by AFM. The dc magnetic measurements performed over the fiber- (3d) or particle-based films (3e) show a characteristic behavior of a 1-D ferrimagnetic chain compound. They are comparable to the ones of the bulk material of formula [CoCu(2,6-Et2pa)2(H2O)2] (2) prepared in H2O at 20 °C which possesses slow magnetic relaxation effects typical of a SCM.