Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
Magnetic and high-frequency EPR studies of an octahedral Fe(III) compound with unusual zero-field splitting
Alejandro Solano-Peralta1, Juan P Saucedo-Vázquez, Roberto Escudero
1Departamento de Química Inorgánica y Nuclear, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., 04510, México.
Abstract:
Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility and multi-frequency EPR (9.4, 34.5, 94 and 188 GHz) spectroscopic measurements have been carried out together with an X-ray study at 100 K to study [Fe(DMSO)(6)](NO(3))(3). The iron(III) ion remains high-spin (S = 5/2) in the temperature range studied, therefore, the EPR data were interpreted using the conventional S = 5/2 spin Hamiltonian. A full analysis of EPR spectra at 95 GHz of a powdered sample at 290 K revealed that they are extremely sensitive to D and E values. The zfs parameters were precisely determined: D = + 0.1730 cm(-1), E = 0.00 cm(-1) and lambda = |E/D| = 0.00. A sequence of the spectra neatly shows that the compound has a clear magnetic dependence on temperature. The study at 5 K, showed that the zfs parameters increase: D = + 0.1970 cm(-1), E = 0.017 cm(-1) and lambda = |E/D| = 0.086. These data indicate that as the temperature decreases the D tensor increases slightly showing an increase in the rhombicity. These results confirm that |2D| is congruent to h nu at X-band in this case. Additionally, it has been shown by X-ray crystal analysis of [Fe(DMSO)(6)](NO(3))(3) at 100 K that this is involved in a hydrogen bonding network, consisting of C-H...O interactions between the nitrate anions and the methyl groups of the coordinated DMSO molecules, thus suggesting that the differences found in the spectroscopic parameters D and E at different temperatures must be due to these supramolecular interactions.
Related Concept Videos
03:02Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
01:17Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy: Organic Radicals
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
02:46Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
02:42Valence Bond Theory
01:27π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview