The reaction of HOR' (OR' = di-t-butyl-(3,5-diphenylphenyl)methoxide) with an iron(II) amide precursor forms the iron(II) bis(alkoxide) complex Fe(OR')(THF) (2). 2 (5-10 mol %) serves as a catalyst for the conversion of aryl azides into the corresponding azoarenes. The highest yields are observed for aryl azides featuring two ortho substituents; other substitution patterns in the aryl azide precursor lead to moderate or low yields. The reaction of 2 with stoichiometric amounts (2 equiv) of the corresponding aryl azide shows the formation of azoarenes as the only organic products for the bulkier aryl azides (Ar = mesityl, 2,6-diethylphenyl). In contrast, formation of tetrazene complexes Fe(OR')(ArNNNNAr) (3-6) is observed for the less bulky aryl azides (Ar = phenyl, 4-methylphenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 3,5-dimethylphenyl). The electronic structure of selected tetrazene complexes was probed by spectroscopy (field-dependent Fe Mössbauer and high-frequency EPR) and density functional theory calculations. These studies revealed that Fe(OR')(ArNNNNAr) complexes contain high-spin ( S = 5/2) iron(III) centers exchange-coupled to tetrazene radical anions. Tetrazene complexes Fe(OR')(ArNNNNAr) produce the corresponding azoarenes (ArNNAr) upon heating. Treatment of a tetrazene complex Fe(OR')(ArNNNNAr) with a different azide (NAr') produces all three possible products ArNNAr, ArNNAr', and Ar'NNAr'. These experiments and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations exploring the reaction mechanism suggest that the tetrazene functionality serves as a masked form of the reactive iron mono(imido) species.

The electronic and molecular structure of the CeB 6 molecular unit has been probed by anion PE spectroscopy and DFT calculations to gain insight into structural and electronic relaxation on edge and corner sites of this ionic material. While boron in bulk lanthanide hexaboride materials assumes octahedral B 6 3− units, the monomer assumes a less compact structure to delocalize the charge. Two competitive molecular structures were identified for the anion and neutral species, which include a boat-like structure and a planar or near-planar teardrop structure. Ce adopts different orbital occupancies in the two isomers; the boat-like structure has a 4f superconfiguration while the teardrop favors a 4f 6s occupancy. The B 6 ligand in these structures carries a charge of −4 and −3, respectively. The teardrop structure, which was calculated to be isoenergetic with the boat structure, was most consistent with the experimental spectrum. B 6 -local orbitals crowd the energy window between the Ce 4f and 6s (HOMO) orbitals. A low-lying transition from the B-based orbitals is observed slightly less than 1 eV above the ground state. The results suggest that edge and corner conductivity involves stabilized, highly diffuse 6s orbitals or bands rather than the bulk-favored 5d band. High-spin and open-shell low-spin states were calculated to be very close in energy for both the anion and neutral, a characteristic that reflects how decoupled the 4f electron is from the B 6 2p-and Ce 6s-based molecular orbitals.

Photoelectron spectra of Gd2O2 – obtained with photon energies ranging from 2.033 to 3.495 eV exhibit numerous close-lying neutral states with photon-energy-dependent relative intensities. Transitions to these states, which fall within the electron binding energy window of 0.9 and 1.6 eV, are attributed to one- or two-electron transitions to the ground and low-lying excited neutral states. An additional, similar manifold of electronic states is observed in an electron binding energy window of 2.1–2.8 eV, which cannot be assigned to any simple one-electron transitions. This study expands on previous work on the Sm2O– triatomic, which has a more complex electronic structure because of the 4f6 subshell occupancy of each Sm center. Because of the simpler electronic structure from the half-filled 4f7 subshell occupancy in Gd2O2 and Gd2O2 –, the numerous close-lying transitions observed in the spectra are better resolved, allowing a more detailed view of the changes in relative intensities of individual transitions with photon energy. With supporting calculations on numerous possible close-lying electronic states, we suggest a potential description of the strong photoelectron–valence electron interactions that may result in the photon-energy-dependent changes in the observed spectra.

Evidence of strong photoelectron–valence electron (PEVE) interactions has been observed in the anion photoelectron (PE) spectra of several lanthanide suboxide clusters, which are exceptionally complex from an electronic structure standpoint and are strongly correlated systems. The PE spectrum of Gd2O–, which should have relatively simple electronic structure because of its half-filled 4f subshell, exhibits numerous electronic transitions. The electron affinity determined from the spectrum is 0.26 eV. The intensities of transitions to excited states increase relative to the lower-energy states with lower photon energy, which is consistent with shakeup transitions driven by time-dependent electron–neutral interactions. A group of intense spectral features that lie between electron binding energies of 0.7 and 2.3 eV are assigned to transitions involving detachment of an electron from outer-valence σu and σg orbitals that have large Gd 6s contributions. The spectra show parallel transition manifolds in general, which is consistent with detachment from these orbitals. However, several distinct perpendicular transitions are observed adjacent to several of the vertical transitions. A possible explanation invoking interaction between the ejected electron and the high-spin neutral is proposed. Specifically, the angular momentum of electrons ejected from σu or σg orbitals, which is = 1, can switch to = 0, 2 with an associated change in the Ms of the remnant neutral, which is spin–orbit coupling between a free electron and the spin of a neutral.

<p>Photoelectron spectra of Gd₂O₂⁻ obtained with photon energies from 2.033 eV to 3.495 eV exhibit numerous close-lying neutral states with photon-energy-dependent relative intensities. Transitions to states falling within the electron binding energy window of 0.9 and 1.6 eV are attributed to one- or two-electron transitions to the ground and low-lying excited neutral states. An additional, manifold of electronic states observed in the 2.1 to 2.8 eV window cannot be assigned to any simple one-electron transitions. Because of the relatively simple electronic structure from the half-filled 4<i>f⁷ </i>subshell occupancy in Gd₂O₂^–, the numerous transitions observed in the spectra are fairly well-resolved, allowing a detailed view of the changes in relative intensities of individual transitions with photon energy. With supporting calculations on the numerous close-lying electronic states, we suggest a description of strong photoelectron-valence electron interactions that result in the photon-energy dependent shake-up transitions and switching between ferro- and antiferromagnetic coupling. </p>

Small lanthanide (Ln) oxide clusters present both experimental and theoretical challenges because of their partially filled, core-like 4f n orbitals, a feature that results in a plethora of close-lying and fundamentally similar electronic states. These clusters provide a bottom-up approach toward understanding the electronic structure of defective or doped bulk material but also can offer a challenge to the theorists to find a method robust enough to capture electronic structure patterns that emerge from within the 4f n (0 < n < 14) series. In this Feature Article, we explore the electronic structures of small lanthanide oxide clusters that deviate from bulk stoichiometry using anion photoelectron spectroscopy and supporting density functional theory calculations. We will describe the evolution of electronic structure with oxidation and how Ln x O y − cluster reactivities can be correlated with specific Ln-local orbital occupancies. These strongly correlated systems offer additional insights into how interactions between electrons and electronically complex neutrals can lead to detachment transitions that lie outside of the sudden one-electron detachment approximation generally assumed in anion photoelectron spectroscopy. With a better understanding of how we can control nominally forbidden transitions to sample an array of spin states, we suggest that more in-depth studies on the magnetic states of these systems can be explored. Extending these studies to other Ln-based materials with hidden magnetic phases, along with sequentially ligated single molecule magnets, could advance current understanding of these systems.

<p>Photoelectron spectra of Gd₂O₂⁻ obtained with photon energies from 2.033 eV to 3.495 eV exhibit numerous close-lying neutral states with photon-energy-dependent relative intensities. Transitions to states falling within the electron binding energy window of 0.9 and 1.6 eV are attributed to one- or two-electron transitions to the ground and low-lying excited neutral states. An additional, manifold of electronic states observed in the 2.1 to 2.8 eV window cannot be assigned to any simple one-electron transitions. Because of the relatively simple electronic structure from the half-filled 4<i>f⁷ </i>subshell occupancy in Gd₂O₂^–, the numerous transitions observed in the spectra are fairly well-resolved, allowing a detailed view of the changes in relative intensities of individual transitions with photon energy. With supporting calculations on the numerous close-lying electronic states, we suggest a description of strong photoelectron-valence electron interactions that result in the photon-energy dependent shake-up transitions and switching between ferro- and antiferromagnetic coupling. </p>

With recent interest in quantum simulations as well as technologies such as spintronics and magnetic materials, the importance of electron correlation has been ever increasing. Lanthanide oxides, with their close lying electronic states stemming from the presence of 4f electrons, have been of immense interest in recent years as a result. Developing the breadth of knowledge of these materials is necessary and can help reveal the patterns in the impact of lanthanide identity on the electron correlation. Previous studies conducting anion photoelectron spectroscopy on small lanthanide oxide clusters have indicated strong interactions between departing photoelectron and valence electrons of the neutral cluster, shown by an increase in excited state band intensity with a decrease in photon energy, opposite of that predicted by the threshold law. To better understand this relationship between the electron correlation and the interactions between the photoelectron and the neutral core and its change with lanthanide identity, the anion photoelectron spectra of Ce 3 O, Sm 3 O, and Gd 3 O were collected at 2.330 eV and 3.495 eV.