Molecular and electronic structure of five-coordinate complexes of iron(II/III) containing o-diiminobenzosemiquinonate(1-) pi radical ligands.

The reaction of the ligand N-phenyl-1,2-benzenediamine (N-phenyl-o-phenylenediamine), H2[L(PDI)], in dry acetonitrile with FeIII(dmf)63 (dmf = N,N-dimethylformamide) affords the dimer (mu-NH,NH)[FeIII(L(ISQ))(L(PDI))]2 (1), where (L(ISQ))- represents the pi radical monoanion N-phenyl-o-diiminobenzosemiquinonate and (L(PDI))2- is its one-electron-reduced, closed-shell form. Complex 1 possesses a diamagnetic ground-state St = 0. Addition reactions of tri-n-butylphosphane, tert-butyl isocyanide, cyclohexyl isocyanide, 4,5-diphenylimidazole, and 4-(1-phenylpentyl)pyridine with 1 in acetonitrile or toluene yields [FeII(L(ISQ))2(PBu3)] (2), [Fe(II)(L(ISQ))2(CN-tBu)] (4), [FeII(L(ISQ))2(CNCy)] (5), [FeIII(L(ISQ))2(Ph2Im)] (6), and [FeIII(L(ISQ))(L(PDI))(BuPhCH-py)].BuPhCH-py (7). Oxidation of 1 with iodine affords [FeIII(L(ISQ))2I] (3), and oxidation of 2 with ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate yields FeIII(L(ISQ))2(PBu3) (2ox). The structures of complexes 2, 2ox, 3, 5, 6, and 7 have been determined by X-ray crystallography at 100(2) K. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and EPR, UV-vis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy have established that mononuclear complexes containing the [FeII(L(ISQ))2X] chromophore (2, 4, 5) are diamagnetic (St = 0) whereas those with an [FeIII(L(ISQ))2X]n chromophore (3, 2(ox), 6) are paramagnetic (St = 1/2) and those with an [FeIII(L(ISQ))(L(PDI))X] chromophore (7) possess an St = 1 ground state. It is established that all ferric species have an intrinsic intermediate spin (SFe = 3/2) which is intramolecularly antiferromagnetically coupled to one or two (L(ISQ))- ligand radicals yielding an St = 1 (7) or St = 1/2 (2ox, 3, 6) ground state, respectively. In the ferrous complexes 2, 4, and 5 the intrinsic spin at the iron ion is either low spin (SFe = 0) or intermediate spin (SFe = 1). Antiferromagnetic coupling between two radicals (L(ISQ))*- or, alternatively, between the intermediate spin ferrous ion and two radicals yields then the observed diamagnetic ground state. In 1 two [FeIII(L(ISQ))(L(PDI))] halves with S = 1 couple antiferromagnetically affording an St = 0 ground state.