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With the proliferation of services and the vast amount of data produced by the Internet, numerous services with comparable functionalities but varying Quality of Service (QoS) attributes are potential candidates for meeting user needs. Consequently, the selection of the most suitable services has become increasingly challenging. To address this issue, a synthesis of multiple services is conducted through a composition process to create more sophisticated services. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in QoS uncertainty, given its potential impact on determining an optimal composite service, where each service is characterized by multiple QoS properties (e.g., response time and cost) that are frequently subject to change primarily due to environmental factors. Here, we introduce a novel approach that depends on the Multi-Agent Whale Optimization Algorithm (MA-WOA) for web service composition problem. Our proposed algorithm utilizes a multi-agent system for the representation and control of potential services, utilizing MA-WOA to identify the optimal composition that meets the user's requirements. It accounts for multiple quality factors and employs a weighted aggregation function to combine them into a cohesive fitness function. The efficiency of the suggested method is evaluated using a real and artificial web service composition dataset (comprising a total of 52,000 web services), with results indicating its superiority over other state-of-the-art methods in terms of composition quality and computational effectiveness. Therefore, the proposed strategy presents a feasible and effective solution to the web service composition challenge, representing a significant advancement in the field of service-oriented computing., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Brain tumors in Magnetic resonance image segmentation is challenging research. With the advent of a new era and research into machine learning, tumor detection and segmentation generated significant interest in the research world. This research presents an efficient tumor detection and segmentation technique using an adaptive moving self-organizing map and Fuzzyk-mean clustering (AMSOM-FKM). The proposed method mainly focused on tumor segmentation using extraction of the tumor region. AMSOM is an artificial neural technique whose training is unsupervised. This research utilized the online Kaggle Brats-18 brain tumor dataset. This dataset consisted of 1691 images. The dataset was partitioned into 70% training, 20% testing, and 10% validation. The proposed model was based on various phases: (a) removal of noise, (b) selection of feature attributes, (c) image classification, and (d) tumor segmentation. At first, the MR images were normalized using the Wiener filtering method, and the Gray level co-occurrences matrix (GLCM) was used to extract the relevant feature attributes. The tumor images were separated from non-tumor images using the AMSOM classification approach. At last, the FKM was used to distinguish the tumor region from the surrounding tissue. The proposed AMSOM-FKM technique and existing methods, i.e., Fuzzy-C-means and K-mean (FMFCM), hybrid self-organization mapping-FKM, were implemented over MATLAB and compared based on comparison parameters, i.e., sensitivity, precision, accuracy, and similarity index values. The proposed technique achieved more than 10% better results than existing methods.

The new coronavirus that produced the pandemic known as COVID-19 has been going across the world for a while. Nearly every area of development has been impacted by COVID-19. There is an urgent need for improvement in the healthcare system. However, this contagious illness can be controlled by appropriately donning a facial mask. If people keep a strong social distance and wear face masks, COVID-19 can be controlled. A method for detecting these violations is proposed in this paper. These infractions include failing to wear a facemask and failing to maintain social distancing. To train a deep learning architecture, a dataset compiled from several sources is used. To compute the distance between two people in a particular area and also predicts the people wearing and not wearing the mask, The proposed system makes use of YOLOv3 architecture and computer vision. The goal of this research is to provide valuable tool for reducing the transmission of this contagious disease in various environments, including streets and supermarkets. The proposed system is evaluated using the COCO dataset. It is evident from the experimental analysis that the proposed system performs well in predicting the people wearing the mask because it has acquired an accuracy of 99.2% and an F1-score of 0.99., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer SN declared a shared affiliation, with the authors BS and LG to the handling editor at the time of the review., (Copyright © 2023 S., G., Vaiyapuri, Ahanger, Dahan, Hajjej, Keshta, Alsafyani, Alroobaea and Raahemifar.)

Generally, cloud computing is integrated with wireless sensor network to enable the monitoring systems and it improves the quality of service. The sensed patient data are monitored with biosensors without considering the patient datatype and this minimizes the work of hospitals and physicians. Wearable sensor devices and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) have changed the health service, resulting in faster monitoring, prediction, diagnosis, and treatment. Nevertheless, there have been difficulties that need to be resolved by the use of AI methods. The primary goal of this study is to introduce an AI-powered, IoMT telemedicine infrastructure for E-healthcare. In this paper, initially the data collection from the patient body is made using the sensed devices and the information are transmitted through the gateway/Wi-Fi and is stored in IoMT cloud repository. The stored information is then acquired, preprocessed to refine the collected data. The features from preprocessed data are extracted by means of high dimensional Linear Discriminant analysis (LDA) and the best optimal features are selected using reconfigured multi-objective cuckoo search algorithm (CSA). The prediction of abnormal/normal data is made by using Hybrid ResNet 18 and GoogleNet classifier (HRGC). The decision is then made whether to send alert to hospitals/healthcare personnel or not. If the expected results are satisfactory, the participant information is saved in the internet for later use. At last, the performance analysis is carried so as to validate the efficiency of proposed mechanism., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 A, Dahan, Alroobaea, Alghamdi, Mohammed, Hajjej, Alsekait and Rahemifar.)

This paper presents an adaptation of the flying ant colony optimization (FACO) algorithm to solve the traveling salesman problem (TSP). This new modification is called dynamic flying ant colony optimization (DFACO). FACO was originally proposed to solve the quality of service (QoS)-aware web service selection problem. Many researchers have addressed the TSP, but most solutions could not avoid the stagnation problem. In FACO, a flying ant deposits a pheromone by injecting it from a distance; therefore, not only the nodes on the path but also the neighboring nodes receive the pheromone. The amount of pheromone a neighboring node receives is inversely proportional to the distance between it and the node on the path. In this work, we modified the FACO algorithm to make it suitable for TSP in several ways. For example, the number of neighboring nodes that received pheromones varied depending on the quality of the solution compared to the rest of the solutions. This helped to balance the exploration and exploitation strategies. We also embedded the 3-Opt algorithm to improve the solution by mitigating the effect of the stagnation problem. Moreover, the colony contained a combination of regular and flying ants. These modifications aim to help the DFACO algorithm obtain better solutions in less processing time and avoid getting stuck in local minima. This work compared DFACO with (1) ACO and five different methods using 24 TSP datasets and (2) parallel ACO (PACO)-3Opt using 22 TSP datasets. The empirical results showed that DFACO achieved the best results compared with ACO and the five different methods for most of the datasets (23 out of 24) in terms of the quality of the solutions. Further, it achieved better results compared with PACO-3Opt for most of the datasets (20 out of 21) in terms of solution quality and execution time., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; and in the decision to publish the results.

ortho-Vanillin in the presence of nickel and lanthanide ions yields three types of heteronuclear Ni II -Gd III complexes, ranging from dinuclear to tetranuclear defect dicubane complexes, as demonstrated by their structural determinations. These complexes are dependent on the solvents used during the reaction processes and on the retained lanthanide ions, as characterized by an increase in their Lewis acid character on moving from lighter to heavier lanthanide ions. Intramolecular ferromagnetic Ni II -Gd III interactions are present in the heterodinuclear Ni II -Gd III entities, whereas ferromagnetic Ni II -Ni II and Ni II -Gd III interactions dominate above 2 K in the tetranuclear Ni-Gd compounds, devoid of any Gd III -Gd III interaction. The effect of a magnetic field on the magnetic entropy and adiabatic temperature changes is maximum near the liquid-helium boiling temperature, mainly determined by the relative weakness of the magnetic interactions.

Four heterodinuclear (H(2)O)(2)NiL-Ln(NO(3))(3) complexes (Ln = Tb, Dy, Er, Yb) with a double phenoxo bridge coming from the dideprotonated Schiff-base ligand are synthesized and characterized by crystal and powder X-ray diffraction studies. This series of compounds devoid of any chiral center, crystallizes in a noncentrosymmetric space group P2(1), as the previously described (H(2)O)(2)NiL-Gd(NO(3))(3) equivalent. All four complexes are ferromagnetically coupled. If this behavior is clearly shown by the χ(M)T increase at low temperature in the case of the Ni-Tb and Ni-Dy complexes, it necessitates the preparation of the Zn-Er and Zn-Yb equivalent entities to be evidenced in the case of the Ni-Er and Ni-Yb complexes. Out-of-phase susceptibility signals are found in the four cases, but the SMM behavior is neither confirmed, nor completely studied because of the presence of fast quantum tunnelling at zero field. Thorough ab initio multiconfiguration calculations are carried out, achieving a realistic account of ligand field effects, exchange coupling and magnetic anisotropy in the discussed systems. The calculations reveal the ferromagnetic intercenter exchange coupling, the interplay with spin-orbit effects leading to a Ising-like scheme of the lowest levels. The ab initio simulation of the magnetic susceptibility is in semiquantitative agreement with experimental data, certifying the reasonableness of the theoretical treatments in obtaining valuable information for the interacting mechanisms. The anisotropy is accounted for by drawing polar diagrams of state-specific magnetization functions, obtained by handling of the data resulting from ab initio calculations including the spin-orbit effects. Supplementary, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations are carried out, presenting new methodological clues and assessments. The DFT is not perfectly adequate for lanthanide systems because of orbital pseudodegeneracy issues. However, we show that in particular circumstances the DFT can be partly used, succeeding here in mimicking different orbital configurations of the Ni-Tb system. The DFT seems to offer reasonable estimations of exchange coupling parameters, while it remains problematic in the complete account of Ligand Field splitting. The Paper presents unprecedented methodological advances and correlations with phenomenological and heuristic interpretation of experimental data, taking into focus relevant d-f systems constructed with a prototypical binucleating ligand.

Hydrolyses of HC[triple bond]CSO3SiMe3 (1) and CH3C[triple bond]CSO3SiMe3(2) lead to the formation of acetylenic sulfonic acids HC[triple bond]CSO3H.2.33H2O (3)and CH3C[triple bond]CSO3H.1.88H2O (4). These acids were reacted with guanidinium carbonate to yield [+C(NH2)3][HC[triple bond]CSO3] (5) and [+C(NH2)3][CH3C[triple bond]CSO3] (6). Compounds 1-6 were characterized by spectroscopic methods,and the X-ray crystal structures of the guanidinium salts were determined.The X-ray results of 5 show that the guanidinium cations and organosulfonate anions associate into 1D ribbons through R2(2)(8) dimer interactions,whereas association of these ions in 6 is achieved through R2(2)(8) and R1(2)(6) interactions. The ribbons in 5 associate into 2D sheets through R2(2)(8) dimer interactions and R3(6)(12) rings, whereas those in 6 are connected through R1(2)(6)and R2(2)(8) dimer interactions and R4(6)(14) rings. Compound 6 exhibits a single-layer stacking motif similar to that found in guanidinium alkane- and arenesulfonates, that is, the alkynyl groups alternate orientation from one ribbon to the next. The stacking motif in 5 is also single-layer, but due to interlayer hydrogen bonding between sulfonate anions, the alkynyl groups of each sheet all point to the same side of the sheet.

Complexes [Fe(Hhbi)(2)(NO(3))].2EtOH (1.2EtOH) and [Fe(2)(mu-OH)(2)(Hhbi)(4)].2H(2)O.8EtOH (2.2H(2)O.8EtOH) crystallize in the orthorhombic Fdd2 and P4(2)2(1)2 space groups, respectively (Hhbi(-) = the monoanion of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl benzimidazole). Complex 1 exhibits paramagnetic relaxation as evidenced by Mossbauer spectroscopy, and significant axial zero-field splitting (1.5 cm(1)

The study of the Cu-Gd interaction is simplified by the use of heteronuclear Cu-Gd complexes of low nuclearity, such as dinuclear Cu-Gd or trinuclear Cu-Gd-Cu complexes. In the large majority of cases published until now, this interaction presents the advantage of being ferromagnetic. Among the known examples, the complexes with the largest J values have been prepared with use of symmetric Schiff base compartmental ligands, so that the active cores of the molecules involve two phenoxo bridges between the copper and gadolinium ions. Keeping this remark in mind, we decided to synthesize simple complexes in which two different bridges link the copper and gadolinium ions. The structural determinations of a heterodinuclear Cu-Gd and a trinuclear Cu-Gd-Cu complex confirm the asymmetry of the central cores, involving phenoxo and hydroxo bridges. The magnetic studies evidence again the presence of ferromagnetic interactions. These results corroborate preponderance of the planarity of the Cu-O2-Gd core over the dissymmetry of the bridges.

The synthesis and characterization of [FeII(trim)2]Cl2 (2), [FeII(trim)2]Br2MeOH (3), and [FeII(trim)2]I2MeOH (4), including the X-ray crystal structure determinations of 2 (50 and 293 K) and 4 (293 K), have been performed and their properties have been examined. In agreement with the magnetic susceptibility results, the Mössbauer data show the presence of high-spin (HS) to low-spin (LS) crossover with a range of T1/2 larger than 300 K (from approximately 20 K for [FeII(trim)2]F2 (1) to approximately 380 K for 4). All complexes in this series include the same [Fe(trim)2]2+ complex cation: the ligand field comprises a constant contribution from the trim ligands and a variable one originating from the out-of-sphere anions, which is transmitted to the metal center by the connecting imidazole rings and hydrogen bonds. The impressive variation in the intrinsic characteristics of the spin-crossover (SCO) phenomenon in this series is then interpreted as an inductive effect of the anions transmitted to the nitrogen donors through the hydrogen bonds. Based on this qualitative analysis, an increased inductive effect of the out-of-sphere anion corresponds to a decreased SCO temperature T1/2, in agreement with the experimental results. Electronic structure calculations with periodic boundary conditions have been performed that show the importance of intermolecular effects in tuning the ligand field, and thus in determining the transition temperature. Starting with the geometries obtained from the X-ray studies, the [FeII(trim)2]X2 complex molecules 1-4 have been investigated both for the single molecules and the crystal lattices with the local density approximation of density functional theory. The bulk geometries of the complex cations deduced from the X-ray studies and those calculated are in fair agreement for both approaches. However, the trend observed for the transition temperatures of 1-4 disagrees with the trend for the spin-state splittings ES (difference EHS-ELS between the energy of the HS and LS isomers) calculated for the isolated molecules, whereas it agrees with the trend for ES calculated with periodic boundary conditions. The latter calculations predict the strongest stabilization of the HS state for the fluoride complex, which actually is essentially HS above T=50 K, while the most pronounced stabilization of the LS state is predicted for 4, in line with the experimental results.

A family of spin-crossover (SC) complexes, [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)]Cl.X (X(-) = PF(6) (-), AsF(6) (-), SbF(6) (-), CF(3)SO(3) (-)), 1-4, has been synthesized, in which H(3)L(Me) denotes the hexadentate N(6) tripod-like ligand tris[2-{[(2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene]amino}ethyl]amine, containing three imidazole groups, with a view to establishing the effect of the counter anion on the SC behavior. These complexes have been found to crystallize in the same monoclinic crystal system with similar cell dimensions. The general crystal structure consists of a two-dimensional (2D) extended network constructed by NH...Cl- hydrogen bonds between Cl- and the imidazole NH groups of three neighboring [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)]2+ ions, while the anion X exists as an isolated counter anion and occupies the space between the 2D sheets. Magnetic susceptibilities and Mössbauer spectra have revealed a variety of SC behaviors depending on the counter anion, including a one-step HS<==>(HS + LS)/2 (1, X = PF(6) (-)), a two-step HS<==>(HS + LS)/2<==>LS with a slow thermal relaxation (2, X = AsF(6) (-)), a gradual one-step HS<==>LS (3, X = SbF(6) (-)), and a steep one-step HS<==>LS with hysteresis (4, X = CF(3)SO(3) (-)). The complexes assume the space group P2(1)/n in the HS state, P2(1) in the HS + LS state, and P2(1)/n in the LS state. The Fe-N bond lengths and the N-Fe-N bond angles are indicative of the HS, HS + LS, and LS states. The molecular volumes, V, of the counter anions have been evaluated by quantum-chemical calculations as follows: 53.4 A(3) (BF(4) (-)), 54.4 A(3) (ClO(4) (-)), 73.0 A(3) (PF(6) (-)), 78.5 A(3) (AsF(6) (-)), 88.7 A(3) (SbF(6) (-)), and 86.9 A(3) (CF(3)SO(3) (-)). The size and shape of the counter anion affects the flexible 2D network structure constructed by the hydrogen bonds, leading to modifications of the SC behavior. These estimated relative sizes of the counter anions correlate well with the observed SC behaviors.

The copper(II)-gadolinium(III) and copper(II)-terbium(III) complexes studied in this report derive from disymmetric trianionic ligands abbreviated H3Li (i = 4-6). These ligands are obtained through reaction of different aldehydes with "half-units" having an amide function, the latter resulting from the monocondensation of different diamines with phenyl 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate. Upon deprotonation, the Li ligands (i = 4-10) possess an inner N2O2 coordination site with one amido, one imine, and two phenoxo functions, an outer O2O2 or O2O coordination site, and an amido oxygen atom positioned out of these two sites. The trianionic character of such ligands yields original anionic complexes in the presence of copper(II) or nickel(II) ions, with a 1/1 L/M stoichiometry. The crystal and molecular structures of four complexes, two 3d (1, 5) and two 3d-4f (12, 13) complexes, have been determined. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c: a = 27.528(2) A, b = 7.0944(7) A, c = 22.914(2) A, beta = 92.130(6) degrees , V = 4471.9(7) A(3), Z = 8 for C(21.5)H(27)CuKN(2)O(6.5). Complex 5 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n (No. 14): a = 11.0760(9) A, b = 21.454(2) A, c = 15.336(1) A, beta = 101.474(1) degrees , V = 3571.5(5) A(3), Z = 4. Complex 12 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P (No. 2): a = 8.682(2) A, b = 11.848(2) A, c = 11.928(2) A, alpha = 81.77(3) degrees , beta = 89.17(3) degrees , gamma = 85.49(3) degrees , V = 1210.6(4) A(3), Z = 2 for C20H22CuN5O11Tb. Complex 13 belongs to the monoclinic space group C2/c: a = 25.475(5)A, b = 12.934(3)A, c = 15.023(3) A, beta = 91.06(3) degrees , V = 4949.02A3, Z = 8 for C21H25CuN4O12Tb. The structural determinations confirm that the dinuclear entities involved in 12 and 13 are disposed in a head-to-tail arrangement to give tetranuclear complexes in which the copper and lanthanide ions are positioned at the vertexes of a rectangle. In the [Cu-Gd]2 species, there are two different ferromagnetic Cu-Gd interactions. The stronger one is supported by the double phenoxo bridge (CuO2Gd) while the weaker one corresponds to the single amido bridge (Cu-N-C-O-Gd). Replacement of gadolinium ions with anisotropic terbium ions yields tetranuclear entities showing slow relaxation of magnetization and magnetization hysteresis. Detailed relaxation and hysteresis loop studies establish single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior which is influenced by weak intermolecular interactions.

A strictly heterodinuclear Cu-Tb complex [LCu(O(2)COMe)Tb(thd)(2)] made with a Schiff base L, thd, and monomethylcarbonate ligands [L(2-) = N,N'-2,2-dimethylpropylenedi(3-methoxysalicylideneiminato); thd = tetramethylheptanedionato] behaves like a single-molecule magnet. The monomethylcarbonate ligand, which appears during the reaction pathway, bridges the Cu and Tb ions.

A new asymmetrically coordinated bis-trinuclear iron(III) cluster containing a [Fe(3)O](7+) core has been synthesized and structurally, magnetically, and spectroscopically characterized. [Fe(6)Na(2)O(2)(O(2)CPh)(10)(pic)(4)(EtOH)(4)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2).2EpsilontOH (1.2EpsilontOH) crystallizes in the P space group and consists of two symmetry-related {Fe(3)O](7+) subunits linked by two Na(+) cations. Inside each [Fe(3)O](7+) subunit, the iron(III) ions are antiferromagnetically coupled, and their magnetic exchange is best described by an isosceles triangle model with two equal (J) and one different (J ') coupling constants. On the basis of the H = -2SigmaJ(ij)S(i)S(j) spin Hamiltonian formalism, the two best fits to the data yield solutions J = -27.4 cm(-1), J ' = -20.9 cm(-1) and J = -22.7 cm(-1), J ' = -31.6 cm(-1). The ground state of the cluster is S = (1)/(2). X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at liquid-helium temperature reveals a signal comprising a sharp peak at g approximately 2 and a broad tail at higher magnetic fields consistent with the S = (1)/(2) character of the ground state. Variable-temperature zero-field and magnetically perturbed Mössbauer spectra at liquid-helium temperatures are consistent with three antiferromagnetically coupled high-spin ferric ions in agreement with the magnetic susceptibility and EPR results. The EPR and Mössbauer spectra are interpreted by assuming the presence of an antisymmetric exchange interaction with |d| approximately 2-4 cm(-1) and a distribution of exchange constants J(ij).

Three FeII complexes, [Fe(HLR)2](BPh4)2.solvent (R=H, Me, Ph), were synthesized, where BPh4-=tetraphenylborate and HLR=2-substituted-imidazol-4-yl-methylideneamino-2-ethylpyridine. The magnetic susceptibility measurements in 5-300 K revealed that [Fe(HLH)2](BPh4)2.H2O, [Fe(HLMe)2](BPh4)2.2CH3CN, and [Fe(HLPh)2](BPh4)2.CH3CN are low-spin (LS), spin-crossover (SC), and high-spin (HS) FeII complexes, respectively, indicating that the spin state can be effectively tuned by the bulkiness of the substituent. Complex shows a steep SC around 250 K, where it assumes a cyclic structure of {[Fe(HLMe)2]BPh4}2 constructed by four NH/pi bonds between the imidazole group and the phenyl ring of BPh4- in the HS state and a deformed structure with NH/pi bonds and linear CH3CN...HN hydrogen bonds at the terminals in the LS state.

The condensation reaction between 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and diethylenetriamine, 3-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]propylamine, and 3,3'-iminobis(propylamine) in a 2:1 molar ratio yields ligands that may be isolated exclusively in the dissymmetric (cyclic) isomeric forms L(A), L(B)/L(B*), and L(C). The template effect of a metal center (Fe(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II)) results in the ring opening of L(C) including one hexahydropyrimidine ring and one (long) propylene bridge. The resulting symmetric bis-Schiff base isomeric form L(C') is stabilized through pentacoordination, yielding [Fe(II)L(C')(NCS)](NCS) (3), [Ni(II)L(C')(NCS)](NCS) (6), and [Zn(II)L(C')(NCS)](NCS) (9). The same metal centers are too bulky to exert a template effect on L(A) including one imidazolidine ring and one (short) ethylene bridge. L(A) acts as a tetradentate ligand yielding [Fe(II)L(A)(NCS)2] (1), [Ni(II)L(A)(NCS)2] (4), and [Zn(II)L(A)(NCS)2] (7). The template effect of the metal center is selective toward the ligand L(B)/L(B*) including a hexahydropyrimidine (imidazolidine) ring and the shorter ethylene (longer propylene) bridge. The Fe(II) cation is small enough to exert a template effect, resulting in the ring opening of L(B)/L(B*). The resulting bis-Schiff base L(B') is stabilized through pentacoordination, yielding [Fe(II)L(B')(NCS)](NCS) (2). Ni(II) is too bulky to promote the ring opening of L(B)/L(B*): L(B) acts as a tetradentate ligand, yielding [Ni(II)L(B)(NCS)2] (5) (the L(B*) isomer is totally converted to L(B)). The coordinative requirements and stereochemical preference of the bulkier Zn(II) cation allow neither the ring opening of L(B)/L(B*) nor the tetracoordination of L(B) or L(B*) but stabilize the novel tetradentate dissymmetric form L(B degrees) in [Zn(II)L(B degrees)(NCS)2].H2O (8) (L(B degrees) results from MeOH addition across the imine bond of L(B)). Density functional theory calculations performed for Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes of the L(B)/L(B*)/L(B degrees) set of ligands allowed one to compare the relative stabilities of all possible isomers, showing that the most stable ones correspond to those experimentally obtained: isomerization, or methanol addition across the imine bond, of the tetradentate ligand depends on the relative stabilities of all possible isomeric complexes.

A 2D layered spin crossover complex, [FeIIH3L(Me)]Cl.I3, has been synthesized from the reaction of FeIIICl3, a tripod ligand (H3LMe = tris[2-(((2-methylimidazoyl-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine), and NaI in methanol. The compound showed an abrupt spin transition between the HS (S = 2) and LS (S = 0) states at T(1/2) = 110 K without hysteresis. The crystal structures of the HS and LS states were determined at 180 and 90 K. A 2D layered structure is composed of NH...Cl- hydrogen bonds between the Cl- ion and three neighboring imidazole groups of [FeIIH3LMe]2+. The green light irradiation at 5 K induced the LIESST effect, and the thermal relaxation process from the HS to LS state showed a sigmoid curve at T > 55 K.

An H2L Schiff-base ligand that was obtained from the monocondensation of diaminomaleonitrile and 4-(diethylamino)salicylaldehyde is reported together with four related nickel(II) complexes formulated as [Ni(L)(L')] (L' = MePhCHNH2, iPrNH2, Py, and PPh3). Crystal structures have been solved for H2L, [Ni(L)(MePhCHNH2)], and [Ni(L)(iPrNH2)]. Surprisingly, the complexation process leads to the formation of a rather unusual nickel amido (-NH-Ni(II)) bond by deprotonation of the primary amine of H2L. A reduction of the quadratic hyperpolarizability (beta) from 38 x 10(-30) to 17.5 x 10(-30) cm5 esu(-1) is evidenced on H2L upon metal complexation by the electric-field-induced second-harmonic (EFISH) technique. Qualitative ZINDO/SCI quantum chemical calculations indicate that, in [Ni(L)(MePhCHNH2)], the beta orientation strongly depends on the laser wavelength. In particular, a beta rotation strictly equal to 90 degrees could be obtained with 1.022 microm incident light on passing from [Ni(L)(MePhCHNH2] to a hypothetical [Ni(HL)(MePhCHNH2]+ protonated complex, thus raising the possibility for a new type of molecular switch.

The magnetic study of a trinuclear Cu-Gd-Cu complex confirms that such basic units self-assemble to yield a high spin species. A nice fit of the magnetic data is obtained for an infinite chain of tetranuclear Gd(2)Cu(2) motifs linked through the Gd ions located at the opposite vertexes of the tetranuclear motifs according to two Cu-Gd coordination modes, a double bridging through phenoxo and alkoxo oxygen atoms and a single bridging through deprotonated amide functions. The two interaction pathways are ferromagnetic. Alternating current susceptibility measurements confirm that the equivalent copper-terbium entity is a single chain magnet with a barrier height for reversal of the magnetization equal to 28.5 K.

The monometallic precursors L1Cu and L2Cu (L1H2 standing for 1,3-bis((3-ethoxysalicylidene)amino) propane and L2H2 standing for 1,2-bis((3-methoxysalicylidene)amino) ethane) react with sodium dicyanamide (dca) (NaN3C2), a mixture of gadolinium nitrate, and sodium dicyanamide to yield heterodinuclear L2CuNa(NCNCN) and L1CuGd(NO3)(NCNCN)2 entities. The structural determination shows that two Cu-Na entities are linked by dca with an original mu1,1 coordination mode, evidenced here for the first time, to yield tetranuclear complexes. Two hydrogen bonds operate between the water molecule coordinated to one of the sodium ions and the free nitrogen atoms of two dca ligands, yielding infinite zigzag chains. The structural determination of the Cu-Gd entities indicates that they are held together by two dca ligands, bridging alternately Cu to Gd and Gd to Gd cations, in the more common mu1,5 mode to yield a one-dimensional (1D) network. The dca ligands are not able to transmit interaction between the magnetically active centers in these chains, which are the unique example of structurally characterized Cu-Gd complexes involving dca ligands.

Anaerobic reaction of ferrous thiocyanate with the deprotonated form of the pentadentate dinucleating Schiff base 1,3-bis[(2-pyridylmethyl)imino]propan-2-ol (LH) yields the novel trinuclear [Fe3L2(NCS)4(H2O)] species 1. LH results from the bis-condensation of 2-acetyl-pyridine with 1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol and includes an N4O donor set. The X-ray crystal structure of 1 [C38H40N12O3S4Fe3, triclinic, space group P-1; a = 10.7730(10) angstroms, b = 12.2048(14) angstroms, c = 19.0559(19) angstroms, alpha = 76.908(12) degrees, beta = 89.106(12) degrees, gamma = 79.637(12) degrees, V = 2399.8(4) angstroms3] can be described either as a bent linear arrangement of ferrous centers pairwise bridged through the alkoxo oxygen atom of L- or as a triangular FeII3 core with an Fe2-SCN-Fe3 bridge as the longer side of the Fe1-Fe2-Fe3 triangle. The metric parameters characterizing the ligand environments of the three ferrous centers in 1 and its Mössbauer spectra show that this unprecedented trinuclear structure involves two high-spin (Fe2 and Fe3) and one spin-crossover (Fe1) FeII centers. The donor set to the spin-crossover center (Fe1) is unprecedented: two Npyridine, two Nimine, and two Oalkoxo. Weak antiferromagnetic interactions transmitted through the end-to-end NCS bridge and/or through the O1-Fe1-O2 bridge operate between Fe2 and Fe3., (Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society)

The [Fe(II)(H(3)L)](BF(4))(2).3H(2)O (1) complex was synthesized, where H(3)L (tris[[2-[(imidazole-4-yl)methylidene]amino]ethyl]amine) is a tripodal ligand obtained by condensation of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine and 4-formylimidazole (fim) in a 1:3 molar ratio. Starting from 1, a series of complexes, [Fe(II)(H(1.5)L)](BF(4))(0.5) (2) (=[Fe(II)(H(3)L)][Fe(II)(L)]BF(4)), [Fe(H(1.5)L)]BF(4) (3) (=[Fe(II)(H(3)L)][Fe(III)(L)](BF(4))(2)), [Fe(III)(H(3)L)](BF(4))(3).fim.H(2)O (4), and [Fe(III)(L)].2.5H(2)O (5), has been synthesized and characterized. The single-crystal X-ray structure of each complex has been determined. The Fe(II) compound, 2, and a mixed valence Fe(II)-Fe(III) compound, 3, involve formally hemi-deprotonated ligands, H(1.5)L. The structure of 3 consists of a homochiral two-dimensional assembled sheet, arising from the intermolecular hydrogen bonds between [Fe(II)(H(3)L)](2+) and [Fe(III)(L)](0) (3). All but 5 exhibit spin crossover between low-spin (LS) and high-spin (HS) states. This is a rare case where both Fe(II) and Fe(III) complexes containing the same ligand exhibit spin-crossover behavior. Magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer studies showed that 3 has three accessible electronic states: LS Fe(II)-LS Fe(III), HS Fe(II)-LS Fe(III), and HS Fe(II)-HS Fe(III). Compounds 1-3 show the light-induced excited spin-state trapping effect at the Fe(II) sites upon irradiation with green light. The solution magnetic properties, electronic spectra, and electrochemical properties of 1, 4, and 5 were also studied.

The manganese(III) complexes studied in this report derive from asymmetrical trianionic ligands abbreviated H(3)L(i) (i = 4-6). These ligands are obtained through reaction of salicylaldehyde with "half-units", the latter resulting from monocondensation of different diamines with phenylsalicylate,. Upon deprotonation, L(i) (i = 4-6) possess an inner N(2)O(2) coordination site with one amido, one imine, and two phenoxo functions, and an outer amido oxygen donor. The trianionic character of such ligands yields original neutral complexes with the L/Mn stoichiometry. The crystal and molecular structures of three complexes have been determined at 190 K (1) or 180 K (2 and 3). Complex 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P (No. 2): a = 7.8582(14) A, b = 10.9225(16) A, c = 12.4882(18) A, alpha = 67.231(14) degrees, beta = 72.134(14) degrees, gamma = 82.589(13) degrees, V = 940.6(3) A(3), Z = 2. Complex 2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn (Nuomicron. 60): a = 23.8283(15) A, b = 11.1605(7) A, c = 26.152(2) A, V = 6954.8(8) A(3), Z = 8, while complex 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14) with a = 11.7443(14) A, b = 7.5996(10) A, c = 18.029(2) A, beta = 100.604(10) degrees, V = 1581.6(3) A(3), Z = 4. Owing to hydrogen bonds and pi-pi stackings, the mononuclear neutral molecules of 1 are arranged in a 2D network while complexes 2 and 3 are tetranuclear and polymeric (1D chain) species, respectively, owing to the bridging ability of the oxygen atom of the amido function. The experimental magnetic susceptibilities of complexes 2 and 3 indicate the occurrence of similarly weak Mn(III)-Mn(III) antiferromagnetic interactions (J = -1.1 cm(-1)). Single ion zero-field splitting of manganese(III) must be taken into account for satisfactorily fitting the data by exact calculation of the energy levels associated to the spin Hamiltonian through diagonalization of the full matrix for axial symmetry in 2 (J = - 1.1 cm(-1), D(1) = 2.2 cm(-1), D(2) = -2.8 cm(-1)), D(1) and D(2) being associated to the six- and five-coordinate Mn ions, respectively. A weaker antiferromagnetic interaction (J = - 0.2 cm(-1)) operates through pi-pi stacking in complex 1. Complex 3 is a weak ferromagnet (ordering temperature approximately 7 K) as a result of the spin canting originating from the crystal packing.

The preparations, X-ray structures, and detailed physical characterization are presented for new complexes involving an iron(II) center, a tetraimidazole ligand (TIM), and different carboxylates. [Fe(TIM)(C(6)H(5)CH(2)CO(2))](ClO(4)) (1) crystallizes in the Pbca space group with a = 10.8947(13), b = 20.343(2), and c = 22.833(3) A, Z = 8, and V = 5060.6(11) A(3). [Fe(TIM)(CH(3)CO(2))](ClO(4)) (2) crystallizes in the Ia space group with a = 17.117(2), b = 10.3358(12), and c = 25.658(3) A, beta = 90.301(13) degrees, Z = 8, and V = 4539.5(9) A(3). In both structures, the iron(II) is hexacoordinated to the four N(imidazole) donors of the TIM ligand and the two O donors of a bidentate carboxylate. The flexibility of the carboxylate bidentate coordination, symmetrical or more or less asymmetrical, associated with the steric demand of the TIM ligand results in a remarkable versatility of the Fe(II)N(4)O(2) coordination geometry. The diversity in carboxylate bidentate coordination modes has allowed us to clearly show the importance of the structural and electronic effects, through IR and Mössbauer spectroscopy, of this apparently tenuous carboxylate shift. Comparison of the structural and Mössbauer properties of these complexes with the non-heme ferrous site of photosynthetic systems (i) shows that the metric parameters of site 2b, including the symmetrically chelated bidentate carboxylate, are closer to those of the non-heme ferrous site in the bacterial reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas viridis and R. sphaeroides and (ii) suggests that the ligand environment of the non-heme ferrous center of PS 2 is close to the axially distorted octahedral symmetry resulting from an asymmetrical bidentate coordination of the -CO(2) motif, as in complex 1.

Six dinuclear ferrous complexes including [Fe2(acpypentO)(O2CMe)(NCS)2] (1), [Fe2(acpypentO)(O2CMe)(NCSe)2] (2), [Fe2(acpypentO)(NCO)3] (3), ([Fe2(acpybutO)(O2CMe)(NCS)2] (5), [Fe2(acpybutO)(O2CMe)(NCO)2] (6), and [Fe2(acpybutO)(O2CMe)(N3)2] (7), one tetranuclear (bis-dinuclear) ferrous compound, [Fe4(acpypentO)2(N3)6] (4), and one mononuclear ferrous compound, [Fe(acpybutOH)(NCS)2] (8), have been prepared, and their structures and magnetic and Mössbauer properties have been studied (acpybutOH = 1,4-bis[[2-pyridyl(1-ethyl]imino)]butane-2-ol and acpypentOH = 1,5-bis[[2-pyridyl(1-ethyl]imino)]pentane-3-ol). The X-ray diffraction analyses yielded the following results: 1 (C23H26Fe2N6O3S2, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 8.0380(7) A, b = 12.4495(8) A, c = 27.358(2) A, beta = 92.180(10) degrees, V = 2735.7(4) A(3), Z = 4) is a dinuclear species in which the unequivalent high-spin (HS) Fe(II) sites are bridged by the alkoxo oxygen atom of the symmetrical acpypentO- Schiff base and one syn-syn acetato anion; 3 (C22H23Fe2N7O4, triclinic, Ponemacr;, a = 8.4152(10) A, b = 9.1350(10) A, c = 17.666(2) A, alpha = 97.486(14) degrees, beta = 100.026(14) degrees, gamma = 113.510(13) degrees, V = 1195.9(2) A3, Z = 2) is a dinuclear species in which the unequivalent HS Fe(II) sites are bridged by the alkoxo oxygen atom of the symmetrical acpypentO- Schiff base and one end-on NCO anion; 4-MeOH (C39H50Fe4N26O3, triclinic, Ponemacr;, a = 9.1246(11) A, b = 10.2466(11) A, c = 14.928(2) A, alpha = 91.529(15) degrees, beta = 101.078(16) degrees, gamma = 106.341(14) degrees, V = 1309.6(3) A3, Z = 1) is a bis-dinuclear species in which the unequivalent HS Fe(II) sites are bridged by the alkoxo oxygen atom of the symmetrical acpypentO- Schiff base and one end-on N(3)(-) anion, and the symmetry related Fe(II) sites are bridged by two end-on N3- anions; 8-MeOH (C21H26FeN6O2S2, triclinic, Ponemacr;, a = 8.7674(9) A, b = 12.0938(13) A, c = 12.2634(14) A, alpha = 106.685(14) degrees, beta = 93.689(14) degrees, gamma = 108.508(13) degrees, V = 1163.7(2) A3, Z = 2) is a mononuclear species in which the octahedral low-spin (LS) Fe(II) site is in an N6 environment provided by the four N atoms of the protonated asymmetrical acpybutOH Schiff base and two thiocyanato anions. The Mössbauer spectra of all dinuclear species (1-3 and 5-7), and of the bis-dinuclear compound 4, evidence two distinct HS Fe(II) sites while the Mössbauer spectra of the mononuclear compound 8 evidence a LS Fe(II) site over the 80-300 K temperature range. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility was fitted with J = -13.7 cm(-1), D = -1.8 cm(-1), and g = 2.096 for 1; J = 3.0 cm(-1), D(1) = 1.6 cm(-1), E(1) = -0.35 cm(-1) (lambda(1) = 0.22), D2 = - 12.2 cm(-1), E2 = 1.1 cm(-1) (lambda2 = 0.09), and g = 2.136 for 3; and J(1) = - 0.09 cm(-1), J(2) = 15.9 cm(-1), D(1) = 5.7 cm(-1), D(2) = 12.1 cm(-1), and g = 1.915 for 4. The nature of the ground state in 3 and 4 was confirmed by simulation of the magnetization curves at 2 and 5 K. The intradinuclear interaction through the central O(alkoxo) of the acpypentO- ligand and one pseudohalide bridges is ferromagnetic in 3 (end-on cyanato) while it is very weakly antiferromagnetic in 4 (end-on azido). The interdinuclear interaction through two end-on azido bridges (4) is ferromagnetic as expected. In agreement with the symmetry of the two iron sites of complexes 3 and 4, the fits show that D2 (tetragonal pyramid) is larger than D1 (distorted trigonal bipyramid (3) or distorted octahedron (4)).

A series of two-dimensional (2D) spin crossover complexes, [FeIIH3L(Me)][FeIIL(Me)]X (X-=ClO4-, BF4-, PF6-, AsF6-, SbF6-) 1-5, have been synthesized, where H3L(Me) denotes an hexadentate N6 tripodlike ligand containing three imidazole groups, tris[2-(((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine. Compounds 1-5 exhibit a two-step (HS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + HS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) <--> (HS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + LS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) <--> (LS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + LS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) spin-transition. The crystal structure of [FeIIH3L(Me)][FeIIL(Me)]PF6 (3) was determined at 295, 200, and 100 K. The structure consists of homochiral extended 2D puckered sheets, in which the complementary [FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) and [FeIIL(Me)]- capped tripodlike components, linked together by imidazole-imidazolate hydrogen bonds, are alternately arrayed in an up-and-down mode. The Fe-N bond distances and angles revealed that the FeII sites of both constituting units are in the high-spin (HS) state at 295 K; at 200 K, the FeII sites of [FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) and [FeIIL(Me)]- are in the HS and low-spin (LS) states, respectively. The FeII sites of both constituting units are in the LS state at 100 K. The size of the counteranion affects significantly the intra- and interlayer interactions leading to modifications of the spin crossover behavior. The onset of the second spin-transition of the ClO4- (1) and BF4- (2) salts adjoins the first spin-transition, while a mixed (HS-[FeIIH3L(Me)](2+) + LS-[FeIIL(Me)]-) spin-state spans a temperature range as wide as 70 K for salts 3-5 with larger counteranions, PF6-, AsF6-, and SbF6-, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 showed remarkable LIESST (light induced excited spin state trapping) and reverse-LIESST effects, whereas 3-5 showed no remarkable LIESST effect. The interlayer interaction due to the size of the counteranion is an important factor governing the spin crossover behavior and LIESST effect.

A new family of spin crossover complexes, [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)](NO(3))(2).1.5H(2)O (1), [Fe(III)L(Me)].3.5H(2)O (2), [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)][Fe(II)L(Me)]NO(3) (3), and [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)][Fe(III)L(Me)](NO(3))(2) (4), has been synthesized and characterized, where H(3)L(Me) denotes a hexadentate N(6) tripod ligand containing three imidazole groups, tris[2-(((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine. It was found that the spin and oxidation states of the iron complexes with this tripod ligand are tuned by the degree of deprotonation of the imidazole groups and by the 2-methyl imidazole substituent. Magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer studies revealed that 1 is an HS-Fe(II) complex, 2 exhibits a spin equilibrium between HS and LS-Fe(III), 3 exhibits a two-step spin transition, where the component [Fe(II)L(Me)](-) with the deprotonated ligand participates in the spin transition process in the higher temperature range and the component [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)](2+) with the neutral ligand participates in the spin transition process in the lower temperature range, and 4 exhibits spin transition of both the Fe(II) and Fe(III) sites. The crystal structure of 3 consists of homochiral extended 2D puckered sheets, in which the capped tripodlike components [Fe(II)H(3)L(Me)](2+) and [Fe(II)L(Me)](-) are alternately arrayed in an up-and-down mode and are linked by the imidazole-imidazolate hydrogen bonds. Furthermore, the adjacent 2D homochiral sheets are stacked in the crystal lattice yielding a conglomerate as confirmed by the enantiomeric circular dichorism spectra. Compounds 3 and 4 showed the LIESST (light induced excited spin state trapping) and reverse-LIESST effects upon irradiation with green and red light, respectively.

The stepwise course of the synthesis of homo- (4f, 4f) and heterodilanthanide (4f, 4f ') complexes has been investigated through structural determination of the intermediate and final products occurring in the process. In the first step, the tripodal ligand H(3)L is reacted with Ln(NO(3))(3) x 5H(2)O to give a complex (H(3)L)Ln(NO(3))(3) in which the ligand does exist in a zwitterionic form. This unexpected feature has been definitely supported by a structural determination performed on a closely related complex (HL')(3)Ln(NO(3))(3) (1). These species are fairly stable and may be isolated. In basic medium, (H(3)L)Ln(NO(3))(3) is deprotonated to yield a neutral LLn complex crystallized as LLnNaClO(4) (2), the lanthanide ion being linked to the inner N(4)O(3) coordination site of the ligand. Finally, addition of Ln'(NO(3))(3) x 5H(2)O (Ln' being similar or different from Ln) to the LLn complex yields the desired homo- or heterodinuclear LLnLn'(NO(3))(3) complex 3, where the Ln' ion is coordinated to the outer O(3)O(3) coordination site of the tripodal ligand. Complex 1 (Ln = La) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 (No. 2): a = 11.1883(7) A, b = 11.8993(9) A, c = 16.4197(10) A, alpha = 81.900 (6) degrees, beta = 79.406(5) degrees, gamma = 79.470(6) degrees, V = 2099.5(2) A(3), Z = 2. Complex 2 (Ln = Eu) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n (No. 14): a = 13.6333(13) A, b = 15.3799(12) A, c = 17.1473(13) A, beta = 111.283(10) degrees, V = 3350.2(5) A(3), Z = 4. Complex 3 (Ln = Ln' = Dy) crystallizes in the trigonal space group R3 (No. 148) with a = b = 23.847(3) A, c = 42.982(2) A, V = 21168(4) A(3), Z = 18. Complex 3 possesses a Dy(O(phenoxo))(3)Dy core, and a nitrato anion has been replaced by a eta(2)-chelated o-vanillin anion. We did not succeed in obtaining crystals of any of the heterodinuclear LLnLn'(NO(3))(3) entities, but their existence was unambiguously confirmed by positive fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry experiments.

Two heterodimetallic complexes of formulae [LCo(MeOH)Gd (NO3)3] (1) and [LCo(AcO)2Gd(NO3)2] (2) (H2L = 1,3-bis[(3-methoxysalicylidene)amino]-2,2'-dimethylpropane) have been synthesized and characterized. The structure of 1 consists of discrete dinuclear entities. The cobalt(II) ion exhibits a square-pyramidal geometry, in which the basal plane is formed by the N2O2 set of the inner Schiff base site and the apical position is occupied by the methanol oxygen atom. The gadolinium(III) ion is ten-coordinate to three bidentate nitrate groups and the four oxygen atoms of the Schiff base. The phenolate oxygen atoms act as a bridge between both metal ions. Complex 2 is also formed by isolated dinuclear species. The cobalt(III) ion shows a distorted octahedral geometry in which the equatorial plane is formed by the N2O2 set of the Schiff base, and the axial positions are occupied by two oxygen atoms from both acetate groups. The gadolinium(III) ion is ten-coordinate to two bidentate nitrate groups, two oxygen atoms of the acetate groups, and the four oxygen atoms of the Schiff base. The metal ions are bridged through both the phenolate oxygen and the acetate groups, the latter acting as mu 2 ligands. Magnetic measurements on compound 1 allowed, for the first time, a quantitative evaluation of the J(Co,Gd) ferromagnetic interaction parameter (J = 0.90 cm-1). The CoII zero-field splitting has to be taken into account to fit the experimental data at low temperature (D = 4.2 cm-1). In complex 2, the magnetically isolated gadolinium center obeys a Curie law.

The dinuclear (Fe(II), Gd(III)) complexes studied in this report derive from hexadentate Schiff base ligands abbreviated H(2)L(i)() (i = 1, 2, 3). H(2)L(1) = N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)-1,3-diamino-2,2'-dimethyl-propane, H(2)L(2) = N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)-1,2-diamino-2-methylpropane, and H(2)L(3) = N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)-1,2-diaminoethane. The crystal and molecular structures of three complexes have been determined at 160 K. Depending on the solvent used in the preparation, L(1)Fe(CH(3)OH)Gd(NO(3))(3)(CH(3)OH)(2), 1, or L(1)Fe((CH(3))(2)CO)Gd(NO(3))(3), 1', is obtained from H(2)L(1). A similar complex, L(2)Fe((CH(3))(2)CO)Gd(NO(3))(3), 2, is obtained from H(2)L(2). Complex 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pca2(1) (No. 29): a = 22.141(3) A, b = 9.4159(16) A, c = 15.2075(17) A, V = 3170.4(7) A(3), Z = 4. Complexes 1' and 2 crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14): 1', a = 9.6264(17) A, b = 19.662(3) A, c = 16.039(3) A, beta = 95.15(2) degrees, V = 3023.6(9) A(3), Z = 4; 2, a = 9.7821(13) A, b = 18.7725(17) A, c = 16.100(2) A, beta = 96.497(16) degrees, V = 2937.5(6) A(3), Z = 4. Complexes 1, 1', and 2 possess an Fe(O(phenoxo))(2-)Gd core. The mononuclear L(3)Fe complex could be prepared from H(2)L(3) but not the related dinuclear (Fe, Gd) species. Mössbauer spectroscopy evidences that the iron center is in the +2 oxidation state for the six complexes. The experimental magnetic susceptibility and magnetization data of complexes 1, 1', and 2 indicate the occurrence of weak Fe(II)-Gd(III) ferromagnetic interactions. Single ion zero-field splitting of the iron(II) must be taken into account for satisfactorily fitting the data by exact calculation of the energy levels associated to the spin Hamiltonian through diagonalization of the full matrix for axial symmetry (1, J = 0.50 cm(-1), D = 2.06 cm(-1); 1', J = 0.41 cm(-1), D = 3.22 cm(-1); 2, J = 0.08 cm(-1), D = 4.43 cm(-1)).

The tetranuclear complexes [Fe(4)(pypentO)(pym)(3)(Oac)(NCS)(3)] x 1.5EtOH (1), [Fe(4)(pypentO)(pym)(Oac)(2)(NCS)(2)(MeO)(2)(H(2)O)] x H(2)O (2), [Fe(2)(pypentO)(NCO)(3)](2) (3), and [Fe(2)(pypentO)(N(3))(3)](2) (4) have been prepared, and their structure and magnetic properties have been studied (pypentOH = 1,5-bis[(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]pentan-3-ol, pymH = 2-pyridylmethanol). The X-ray diffraction analysis of 1 (C(43)H(53)N(10)O(7.5)S(3)Fe(4), monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 11.6153(17) A, b = 34.391(17) A, c = 14.2150(18) A, beta = 110.88(5) degrees, V = 5305(3) A(3), Z = 4) and 2 (C(31)H(45)N(7)O(10)S(2)Fe(4), monoclinic, C2/c, a = 19.9165(17) A, b = 21.1001(12) A, c = 21.2617(19) A, beta = 104.441(10) degrees, V = 8652.7(12) A(3), Z = 8) showed a Fe(4)O(4) cubane-like arrangement of four iron(II) atoms, four mu(3)-O bridging ligands, one (1) or two (2) syn-syn bridging acetates. The X-ray diffraction analysis of 3 (C(40)H(46)N(14)O(8)Fe(4), monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 11.7633(18) A, b = 18.234(3) A, c = 10.4792(16) A, beta = 99.359(18) degrees, V = 2217.7(6) A(3), Z = 2) and 4 (C(34)H(46)N(26)O(2)Fe(4), monoclinic, P2(1)/c, V = 4412.4(10) A(3), a = 23.534(3) A, b = 18.046(2) A, c = 10.4865(16) A, beta = 97.80(2) degrees, Z = 4) showed a zigzag bis-dinuclear arrangement of four iron(II) cations, two mu(2)-O bridging pypentO ligands, four mu(2)-N-cyanato bridging ligands (3) or four end-on azido bridging ligands (4): they are the first examples of cyanato and azido bridged discrete polynuclear ferrous compounds, respectively. The Mössbauer spectra of 1 are consistent with four different high-spin iron(II) sites in the Fe(4)O(4) cubane-type structure. The Mössbauer spectra of 3 are consistent with two high-spin iron(II) sites (N(5)O and N(4)O). Below 190 K, the Mössbauer spectra of 4 are consistent with one N(5)O and two N(4)O high-spin iron(II) sites. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility was fitted with J(1) approximately 0 cm(-1), J(2) = -1.3 cm(-1), J(3) = 4.6 cm(-1), D = 6.4 cm(-1), and g = 2.21 for 1; J(1) = 2.6 cm(-1), J(2) = 2.5 cm(-1), J(3) = - 5.6 cm(-1), D = 4.5 cm(-1), and g = 2.09 for 2; J(1) = 1.5 cm(-1), J(2) = 0.2 cm(-1), D = - 5.6 cm(-1), D' = 4.5 cm(-1), and g = 2.14 for 3; and J(1) = - 2.6 cm(-1), J(2) = 0.8 cm(-1), D= 6.3 cm(-1), D' = 1.6 cm(-1), and g = 2.18 for 4. The differences in sign among the J(1), J(2), and J(3) super-exchange interactions indicate that the faces including only mu(3)-OR bridges exhibit ferromagnetic interactions. The nature of the ground state in 1-3 is confirmed by simulation of the magnetization curves at 2 and 5 K. In the bis-dinuclear iron(II) compounds 3 and 4, the J(2) interaction resulting from the bridging of two Fe(2)(pypentO)X(3) units through two pseudo-halide anions is ferromagnetic in 3 (X = mu(2)-N-cyanato) and may be either ferro- or antiferromagnetic in 4 (X = end-on azido). The J(1) interaction through the central O(alkoxo) and pseudo-halide bridges inside the dinuclear units is ferromagnetic in 3 (X = mu(2)-N-cyanato) and antiferromagnetic in 4 (X = end-on azido). In agreement with the symmetry of the two Fe(II) sites in complexes 3 and 4, D (pentacoordinated sites) is larger than D' (octahedral sites).

The present paper is devoted to the study of original trinuclear (CuII, LnIII, CuII) complexes (Ln = La, Ce, Gd). They derive from the polydentate ligands H2Li (i = 1, 3, 4) represented in Figure 1. The crystal and molecular structures of two complexes have been determined at room temperature. The (Cu, Gd, Cu) complex of H2L1 1Gd and the (Cu, Ce, Cu) complex of H2L3 3Ce crystallize in the triclinic space group P1 (no. 2) with the following cell parameters: a = 14.005(2) A, b = 14.7581(13) A, c = 11.3549(13) A, alpha = 96.273(9) degrees, beta = 97.648(11) degrees, gamma = 72.946(9) degrees, V = 2217.7(4) A3, and Z = 2 for 1Gd and a = 11.226(2) A, b = 16.927(3) A, c = 11.010(2) A, alpha = 108.67(2) degrees, beta = 110.48(1) degrees, gamma = 92.35(2) degrees, V = 1828.7(5) A3, and Z = 2 for 3Ce. Regarding possible supports for magnetic interactions, it may be noted that, in both complexes, each of the main bridging pathways between the equatorial positions of a copper(II) ion and the related lanthanide ion is double and not symmetrical. It involves a phenolato oxygen atom and an oximato nitrogen-oxygen pair of atoms. The resulting Cu(O,N-O)Gd networks are not planar, but 3Ce displays much larger deviations than does 1Gd. Determination of the thermal dependence of chi M (molar susceptibility) and the field variations of M (magnetization) show that in 3Gd and 4Gd the Cu-Gd interactions are antiferromagnetic while more "usual" ferromagnetic interactions are observed for 1Gd. The possibility of a relationship between structural and magnetic parameters is considered.

Reactions of Ti(OiPr)4 with different phosphonic acids RPO3H2 (R = Ph, 4-CNPh, Me, tBu) in organic solvents have been investigated. In the presence of small amounts of water, the new molecular titanium oxide alkoxide phosphonates [Ti4(mu 3-O)(OiPr)5(mu-OiPr)3(RPO3)3].DMSO [R = Ph (1), Me (2), tBu (3), 4-CNPh (4)] were isolated. The single-crystal X-ray structure analyses of 1 and 2 revealed hexacoordinated titanium atoms and a connectivity of (111) for each phosphonate. Under rigorous exclusion of water, the reaction of Ti(OiPr)4 with tert-butylphosphonic acid in toluene gave the titanium phosphonate tetramer [Ti(OiPr)2(tBuPO3)]4 (5). A single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of 5 revealed a 5 + 1 coordination of the titanium atoms as a result of the (112) connectivity of each phosphonate; such a coordination mode has never been reported for a titanium phosphate, phosphonate, or phosphinate. Compounds 1-5 were characterized by FT-IR, 31P MAS NMR, and solution multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C(1H,) 31P(1H)) spectroscopies. 13C CP MAS NMR experiments were carried out on arylphosphonates 1 and 4. Solution NMR experiments were also used to investigate the exchange reaction between 1 and 2 and the conversion of 5 to [Ti4(mu 3-O)(OiPr)5(mu-OiPr)3(tBuPO3)3].iPrOH by partial hydrolysis in the presence of Ti(OiPr)4. The phosphonate clusters 1-5 are soluble in organic solvents and are likely intermediates in the sol-gel processing of inorganic-organic hybrids based on titanium oxide and phosphonate groups that we are currently developing.

Two original dinuclear (Cu(II),Gd(III)) complexes (1 and 2) deriving from polydentate nonsymmetrical Schiff base ligands LiH2 have been prepared. Formally they differ by the length of the diamino chain. They crystallize in the orthorhombic Pbca (No. 61) (1) and in the monoclinic P2(1/n) (No. 14) (2) space groups. The cell parameters are a = 12.6295(7) A, b = 20.7894(9) A, c = 18.3301(13) A, and Z = 8 for 1 and a = 12.7246(16) A, b = 13.5691(17) A, c = 14.5310(19) A, beta = 94.629(16) degrees , and Z = 4 for 2. These structural studies show that in both complexes the CuII and GdIII ions are doubly bridged by a phenolato oxygen atom and an oximato (N-O) pair. The bridging network is not planar. The more important distortions are observed for the complex having the larger diamino chain. Unexpectedly the latter complex presents an antiferromagnetic interaction, but the related J value is small (J approximately equal to -0.49 cm(-1)). In the former complex the interaction is ferromagnetic (J approximately equal to 3.5 cm(-1)) as it is for complexes containing (CuO2Gd) bridging cores which yield J values varying from 1.4 to 10.1 cm(-1).

The monometallic precursor L1Cu (L1H2 standing for 1,3-bis((3-methoxysalicylidene)amino)-2,2'-dimethylpropane) reacts with GdC13 x 6H2O to afford a dinuclear complex which crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pca2(1) (No. 29) in a cell having the dimensions a = 9.0246(11) A, b = 16.5198(14) A, c = 20.286(2) A, and Z = 4. Analysis of the structural data shows that it may be formulated as [L1CuCl2Gd(H2O)4]Cl x 2H2O. The cationic dinuclear unit possesses a CuO2Gd bridging core which is almost planar. The complex displays a ferromagnetic interaction (10.1 cm(-1) which is the largest yet reported for a structurally characterized dinuclear (Cu-Gd) complex. Lower magnetic interactions are observed for neutral L1CuGdX3 x H2O complexes (X = N3C2, CF3COO). Consideration of the magnetic and structural data obtained for various dinuclear (Cu-Gd) complexes leads to a correlation between the magnitude of the magnetic interaction and the exponential of the dihedral angle between the two halves of the CuO2Gd bridging core.

The monomer <--> oligomer interconversion of the reported metal complexes is generated by proton abstraction/supply as a common external information input. The mononuclear copper(II) complexes 1 and 2 with [CuCl(2)(HL(n)())] chemical formula have been prepared (HL(1) = N-(2-methylimidazol-4-ylmethylidene)-2-aminoethylpyridine; HL(2) = N-(2-phenylimidazol-4-ylmethylidene)-2-aminoethylpyridine). The crystal structures were determined. 1.H(2)O, C(12)H(16)N(4)OCl(2)Cu: a = 13.773(2) Å, b = 8.245(2) Å, c = 13.861(2) Å, beta = 110.10(1) degrees, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, and Z = 4. 2, C(17)H(16)N(4)Cl(2)Cu: a = 7.6659(7) Å, b = 16.287(1) Å, c = 14.103(1) Å, beta = 95.058(7) degrees, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, and Z = 4. Complexes 1.H(2)O and 2 assume a pentacoordinated square pyramidal geometry with a N(3)Cl(2) donor set consisting of the nitrogen atoms of the protonated tridentate ligand and two chloride ions in the solid state, while in aqueous solution the Cu(II) ion is tetracoordinated (N(3)Ow donor set). When 1 and 2 are treated with an equimolar amount of sodium hydroxide or triethylamine, the deprotonation of the imidazole moiety promotes a self-assembly process, arising from coordination of the imidazolate nitrogen atom to a Cu(II) ion of an adjacent unit, to yield compounds 1'.4H(2)O as the perchlorate salt, and 2'a.6H(2)O as the perchlorate salt and( )()2'b as the hexafluorophosphate salt, respectively. 1'.4H(2)O, C(12)H(15)N(4)O(5)ClCu: a = b = 13.966(2) Å, c = 33.689(3) Å, tetragonal, I4(1)/a, and Z = 16. 2'a.6H(2)O, C(51)H(51)N(12)O(15)Cl(3)Cu(3): a = 15.177(3) Å, b = 15.747(3) Å, c = 14.128(3) Å, alpha = 100.06(2) degrees, beta = 110.37(2) degrees, gamma = 63.54(1) degrees, triclinic, P&onemacr;, and Z = 2. 2'b, C(17)H(15)N(9)F(6)PCu: a = b = 29.812(5) Å, c = 11.484(3) Å, trigonal, R&thremacr;, and Z = 18. The nuclearity of the self-assembled molecules and their detailed structure were confirmed to be cyclic imidazolate-bridged tetranuclear for 1'.4H(2)O and hexanuclear for 2'a.6H(2)O and 2'b, respectively, through single-crystal X-ray analyses and FAB-MS spectra. Variable-temperature experimental magnetic susceptibility data were well reproduced by using the Heisenberg model based on a cyclic tetranuclear structure for 1' and a cyclic hexanuclear structure for 2'a and 2'b. The reversible interconversion between the protonated monomeric and deprotonated oligomeric species were confirmed by pH-dependent potentiometric and electronic spectral titrations in aqueous solution, whereas the Pd(II) complex did not show a perfect disassembly process.

Starting from a single precursor, bis(3-methoxysalicylaldehydato)copper (II), which contains an O(4)Cu chromophore, three routes to discrete dinuclear Cu(II)/Ln(III) complexes (Ln = Pr, Eu, Gd, Yb) are described. The pairs of chromophores occurring in the resulting complexes are either O(4)Cu/O(4)Ln or O(2)N(2)Cu/O(4)Ln, the coordination sphere of the Ln ions being completed, in both cases, with six oxygen atoms afforded by three nitrato ions. Two Cu/Gd complexes involving either two tridentate ligands (2) or one hexadentate ligand (7) have been structurally characterized. They crystallize in the monoclinic space groups P2(1)/n (No. 14) (2) and P2(1)/c (No. 14) (7). The cell parameters are a = 9.7185(7) Å, b = 16.7839(12) Å, c = 14.8868(8) Å, beta = 97.445(5) degrees, and Z = 4 (2) and a = 9.7656(9) Å, b = 19.889(2) Å, c = 15.870(2) Å, beta = 95.512(9) degrees, and Z = 4 (7) respectively. The magnetic properties of six Cu/Ln complexes have been determined. A quantitative analysis of the magnetic properties of the Cu/Gd complexes shows that the interaction is of the ferromagnetic type with a J constant varying from 4.8 to 7.0 cm(-)(1). The decrease of the interaction parallels the variation of the dihedral angle between the two halves (OCuO and OGdO) of the bridging core.

N-[Bis(diisopropylamino)phosphino]-C-[bis(diisopropylamino)thioxophosphoranyl]nitrilimine (1) reacts with electron-poor dipolarophiles such as maleimide, methyl vinyl ketone, and 1,4-naphthoquinone via HOMO(dipole)-controlled [2+3] cycloadditions, while N-[bis(diisopropylamino)(methyl)phosphonio]-C-[bis(diisopropylamino)thioxophosphoranyl]nitrilimine (2a) reacts with electron-rich dipolarophiles such as norbornadiene and ethyl trans-pyrrolineacrylate via LUMO(dipole)-controlled [2+3] cycloadditions. Carbon disulfide reacts with 1 via a formal [4+2] cycloaddition leading to phosphazene containing heterocycle 11 in 75% yield. Dipole 1 is cleaved by HCl, giving the corresponding (thioxophosphoranyl)diazomethane 15, while addition of HCl to 2a leads to hydrazonoyl chloride 16, in 70% isolated yield. Hydrazone 17' (95%) and phosphazine 18(80%) are obtained by a 1,3-addition of BuLi to 1 and PhOLi to 2a, respectively. Trimethylphosphine reacts with 2a by a phosphine-carbene coupling reaction, giving the ylide 20 which is isolated in 75% yield.

New chiral Schiff base complexes have been obtained by condensation of 2,2'-diamino-1,1'-binaphthalene or 1,2-diaminocyclohexane and various salicylaldehydes and by subsequent metalation with manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, or zinc. The complete (1)H and (13)C NMR characterization of the ligands is reported, as are the X-ray crystal structures of (1R,2R)-(-)-N,N'-bis[3-(N,N-dimethylamino)salicylidene]-trans-1,2-cyclohexanediimine and [(1R,2R)-(-)-N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-trans-1,2-cyclohexanediiminato]copper(II). The new chiral manganese complexes have been evaluated in the oxygenation of prochiral olefins and sulfides using sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, or N-methylmorpholine N-oxide/m-chloroperbenzoic acid as oxidant.