Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Preparation of SNS CobaltII Pincer Model Complexes of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Published on: March 19, 2020
Magnetic on-off switching in redox non-innocent ligand bridged binuclear cobalt complexes
Yichen Wang1, Jing Li1, Li Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China. gengwentan@nju.edu.cn yousong@nju.edu.cn xpwang@nju.edu.cn.
Abstract:
The redox non-innocent ligand 2,2'-bipyrimidine (bpym) reacted with two molar equivalents of LCo(tol) (L = CH(MeC[double bond, length as m-dash]NAr)2, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) to afford the binuclear CoII complex (LCo)2(μ-bpym) (1), in which the bpym moiety accepts two electrons from the metal centers and in the dianion state. Complex 1 readily underwent one-electron oxidation when treated with [Cp2Fe]+[BPh4]- affording the cation salt [(LCo)2(μ-bpym)][BPh4] (2) with the bpym moiety in the radical anion state. Meanwhile, complex 2 could be converted back to 1 with elemental potassium. The magnetic studies revealed that complex 2 is a single molecular magnet (SMM) under a small external field, while 1 has no SMM activity. This represents a new example of a SMM exhibiting a fully reversible 'on/off' switching ability in anodic and neutral states.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Balancing Redox Equations
Formation of Complex Ions
Redox Reactions
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...
Design Example: Strain Gauge Bridge or Wheatstone Bridge

