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Published on: April 19, 2019
Cobalt in a bis-β-diketiminate environment
Michael P Marshak1, Matthew B Chambers, Daniel G Nocera
1Department of Chemistry, 6-335, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307, USA.
This study details the synthesis of a novel cobalt(II) complex with a planar, low-spin bis-β-diketiminate structure. Oxidation studies reveal the ligand
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organometallic Chemistry
- Coordination Chemistry
Background:
- Bis-β-diketiminate ligands are versatile in coordination chemistry.
- Cobalt complexes exhibit diverse electronic and magnetic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel bis-β-diketiminate cobalt(II) complex.
- To investigate the electronic structure and redox behavior of the cobalt complex.
- To explore the role of the ligand in redox processes.
Main Methods:
- Reaction of Co(2)(mesityl)(4) with acetonitrile.
- Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy.
- Magnetic susceptibility studies.
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations.
- X-ray crystallography.
Main Results:
- Formation of a planar, low-spin, bis-β-diketiminate cobalt(II) complex, (1-mesitylbutane-1,3-diimine)(2)Co (1).
- Characterization of a (2)B(2)(d(yz))(1) ground state electronic configuration in a tetragonal ligand field.
- Successful oxidation to a cobalt(III) complex, (1-mesitylbutane-1,3-diimine)(2)Co(THF)(2)PF(6) (2).
- X-ray crystal structures indicate minimal changes in metal-ligand bond lengths upon oxidation, suggesting ligand participation.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized cobalt(II) complex exhibits a unique electronic configuration.
- The β-diketiminate ligand demonstrates redox non-innocence, participating in the oxidation event.
- This contrasts with typical redox non-innocent ligand behaviors, highlighting unique properties.
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Colors 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.
Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can be...
Valence Bond Theory

