We propose a simple method for predicting the spin state of homoleptic complexes of the Fe(II) d ion with chelating diimine ligands. The approach is based on the analysis of a single metric parameter within a free (noncoordinated) ligand: the interatomic separation between the N-donor metal-binding sites. An extensive analysis of existing complexes allows the determination of critical N···N distances that dictate the regions of stability for the high-spin and low-spin complexes, as well as the intermediate range in which the magnetic bistability (spin crossover) can be observed. The prediction has been tested on several complexes that demonstrate the validity of our method.

Ylidenemalononitrile enamines undergo rapid amine exchange followed by a cyclization with primary amines to yield fluorescent products with emission intensities as high as 900 times greater than the starting materials. After identifying the fluorescent species by X-ray crystallography, we demonstrate that the rate of amine exchange is substrate dependent and that by simple structural variation the fluorescence can be tuned over the entire visible spectrum. We further demonstrate their potential application in biomolecule labeling.

Heteroleptic complexes [Fe(bpte)(bim)]X and [Fe(bpte)(xbim)]X (bpte = S,S'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thioethane, bim = 2,2'-biimidazole, xbim = 1,1'-(α,α'-o-xylyl)-2,2'-biimidazole, X = ClO, BF, OTf) were prepared by reacting the corresponding Fe(II) salts with a 1:1 mixture of the ligands. All mononuclear complexes exhibit temperature-induced spin crossover (SCO) with the onset above room temperature. The SCO is rather gradual, due to low cooperativity of interactions between the cationic complexes, as revealed by crystal structure analyses. These complexes expand the range of the recently discovered Fe(II) SCO materials with {NS} coordination environment.

A cascade (cyclo)isomerization/elimination process produces novel isoquinoline derivatives of potential interest for pharmaceutical, biomedical, and energy-related research. Mechanistic experiments support a putative allenylpyridine (reminiscent of the Garratt-Braverman cyclization) as a key intermediate in the cascade process.

Homoleptic complexes [Fe(L )]X (L = 1,1'-(α,α'- o-xylyl)-2,2'-biimidazole, L = 1,1'-(α,α'-3,4-dibromo- o-xylyl)-2,2'-biimidazole, L = 1,1'-(α,α'-2,5-dimethoxy- o-xylyl)-2,2'-biimidazole; X = BF or ClO) were synthesized by direct reactions of the Fe(II) precursor salts and bidentate ligands L, L, or L. All mononuclear complexes undergo gradual temperature-driven spin-crossover (SCO) between the high-spin (HS, S = 2) and low-spin (LS, S = 0) states. Complexes with ligands L and L synthesized in methanol exhibit complete SCO with the midpoint of the LS↔HS conversion varying from 233 to 313 K, while complexes with ligand L, crystallized from an ethanol/dichloromethane mixture, exhibit incomplete SCO with the residual HS/LS ratio of ∼1:4 for [Fe(L)](BF) and ∼1:1 for [Fe(L)](ClO). Complexes with L can also be recrystallized from ethanol/dichloromethane, in which case they exhibit very gradual and incomplete SCO, similar to those of the complexes with L. The differences in magnetic behavior have been traced back to peculiarities of molecular packing observed in the corresponding crystal structures. Density-functional theoretical calculations provide justification to the SCO behavior of these complexes, as compared to the HS-only behavior observed for the parent [Fe(bim)] complex with nonalkylated 2,2'-biimidazole (bim).