Extremely Slow Thermally‐Induced Spin Crossover in the Two‐Dimensional Network [Fe(bbtr)₃](BF₄)₂

Abstract

Cooling [Fe(bbtr)3](BF4)2 (bbtr=1,4‐di(1,2,3‐triazol‐1‐yl)butane) triggers very slow spin crossover below 80 K (T1/2↓ = 76 K). The spin crossover (SCO) is accompanied by a hysteresis loop (T1/2↑ = 89 K). In contrast to isostructural perchlorate analogue [Fe(bbtr)3](ClO4)2 in which spin crossover during cooling is preceded by phase transition at TPT=126 K in tetrafluoroborate phase transition does not occur to the beginning of spin crossover (80 K). Studies of mixed crystals [Fe(bbtr)3](BF4)2(1‐x)(ClO4)2x (0.5≤x≤0.9) showed that a phase transition precedes spin crossover, however, for x ≅ 0.46 intersection of T1/2(x) and TPT(x) dependencies takes place. The application of pressure of 1 GPa shifts the spin crossover in [Fe(bbtr)3](BF4)2 to a temperature above 270 K. High‐pressure studies of neat tetrafluoroborate and perchlorate, as well as mixed crystals [Fe(bbtr)3](BF4)2(1‐x)(ClO4)2x (0.1≤x≤0.9), revealed that at 295 K P1/2 value changes linearly with x indicating similar mechanism of spin crossover under elevated pressure in all systems under investigation. Variable pressure single crystal X‐ray diffraction studies confirmed that in contrast to thermally induced spin crossover undergoing differently in tetrafluoroborate and perchlorate an application of high pressure removes this differentiation leading to a similar mechanism depending at first on start spin crossover and then P‐3→P‐1 phase transition occurs.