Symmetry Breaking in a Triferrous Extended Metal Atom Chain

Semilocal and random phase approximation (RPA) density functional theory (DFT) and complete active space (CASSCF + NEVPT2) methodologies were applied to investigate a new class of extended metal atom chain (EMAC) complexes. A novel triferrous complex has been synthesized recently that does not utilize the usual 2,2'-dipyridylamine (dpa) ligand framework, which essentially always results in a tetragonal coordination environment and general formula M₃(dpa)₄X₂, where X is an anion. Instead, the triferrous complex utilizes a dianionic, 2,6-bis(trimethylsilylamido)pyridine ligand (L^2-) resulting in the formation of trigonal complexes with general formula FeL. To better understand the electronic structure of this complex, calculations were utilized to explore the experimentally isolated FeL, and a smaller theoretical complex, in order to compare and contrast with the traditional dpa-based EMACs. Due to the absence of anionic, axial ligands, the sigma nonbonding orbitals formed from the metal d orbitals are lower in energy than in the dpa complexes, and compete with the pi bonding orbitals for occupation in the FeL complex. While the idealized geometry of these complexes is D₃, a helical distortion of the ligands and subsequent electronic symmetry breaking due to Jahn-Teller distortions are predicted utilizing both semilocal and RPA DFT methods, ending in a C₂ structure that closely matches the reported crystal structure. Predicted Mössbauer isomer shifts and ultraviolet/visible (UV/vis) spectra also agree with the experimental data available in the literature. Magnetic coupling constants also indicate ferromagnetic coupling between nearest neighbor irons. Two-dimensional (2D) potential energy surfaces were calculated for a range of fixed Fe-Fe bond lengths, revealing a flat potential energy surface over a wide range of Fe-Fe bond lengths and verifying the ability of RPA to act as a higher-level check on semilocal DFT results. In order to verify the predicted high-spin ground state, CASSCF + NEVPT2 was applied to selected molecular configurations and confirmed the predictions made by DFT. These calculations shed light on the physical ground state electron configuration of FeL and correlate this electronic configuration with the available experimental data.