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The [Fe(II)L(CN)(2)].H(2)O complex, dicyano[2,13-dimethyl-6,9-dioxa-3,12,18-triazabicyclo[12.3.1]octadeca-1(18),2,12,14,16-pentaene]iron(II) monohydrate, exhibits a thermal induced metal-ligand bond break reversible in the solid state and associated to a spin crossover that corresponds to an unprecedented structurally characterized modification of the coordination metal environment from a hepta-coordinate high spin state to a hexa-coordinate low spin state.

New coordination polymers of the formula [M(btre)(2)(NCS)(2)] (btre = 1,2-bis(1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)ethane; M(II) = Fe, Co) have been synthesized, and their crystal structures have been determined at 293 K by X-ray analysis. The Fe(II) compound (C(7)H(8)FeN(7)S(2)) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, a = 12.439(5) A, b = 8.941(2) A, c = 9.321(3) A, beta = 90.88(2) degrees , V = 1036.6(6) A(3), Z = 2, 3791 reflections [I > 3sigma(I)], R(F) = 0.036, wR2 = 0.123. The Co(II) compound is isostructural to the Fe(II) compound. The crystal structure consists of a 2D sheet in which the metal ions are linked by bis monodentate (N1, N1') 1,2,4-triazole ligands. The structure is stabilized by pi-bond interactions between two adjacent sheets and by S...S interactions. Temperature-dependent SQUID, (57)Fe Mössbauer, and X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that [Fe(btre)(2)(NCS)(2)] retains a HS ground state upon cooling from 293 K down to 8 K. The surprising absence of spin-crossover behavior for this Fe(II)-1,2,4-triazole polymeric coordination compound that has been confirmed by pressure experiments up to approximately 12 kbar and by light irradiation experiments at 10 K is discussed on the basis of its structural features. Insight into the origin of the cooperative effects of the spin transition in [Fe(btr)(2)(NCS)(2)].H(2)O (btr = 4,4'-bis-1,2,4-triazole) is also given thanks to a re-evaluation of its distortion parameters in the high- and low-spin states.

The [FeLn(NCS)2] iron(II) spin-crossover complexes cover a wide range of magnetic behaviour. Owing to the large number of known structural and magnetic data, this series is perfectly adapted to the investigation of the structure-magnetic properties relationship. In this paper we propose a new structural parameter, denoted Theta, which is used to correlate the features of the spin-crossover phenomena with the distortion of the iron environment. In particular, this parameter has shed light on the role of such distortion on the limiting temperature of photo-inscription, known as T(LIESST). A strong dependence of T(LIESST) on Theta is clearly demonstrated. The stronger the distortion the higher the T(LIESST) value. This structure-property dependence represents, for instance, a powerful tool to estimate the highest potential T(LIESST) value for a series of complexes. This limit in the [FeLn(NCS)2] series is estimated to be around 120 K, which probably prevents their use in any industrial application.

The comparative photostability of curcumin 1, and two non-phenolic curcuminoids: 1,7-diphenyl-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione 2 (unsubstituted curcumin) and dimethylcurcumin 3 in non-degassed dilute solutions (approximately 3-5 x 10(-5) mol l(-1)) has been established by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy; disappearance quantum yields were measured. The similar behavior of the three studied curcuminoids is indicative of only a moderate role of phenol groups in the photodegradation process. Structural analysis of the photodegradation products of compound 2 in more concentrated solution (approximately 3.6 x 10(-3) mol l(-1)) shows formation of benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, 2'-hydroxy-5',6'-benzochalcone 4, flavanone 5 and some other unidentified photoproducts. Flavanone 5 is formed by irradiation of chalcone 4. It represents a unique example of photochemical conversion of a diarylheptanoid molecule into a flavonoid, another very important class of natural products.

The [Fe(PM-BiA)(2)(NCS)(2)] complex, where PM is N-2-pyridylmethylene and BiA is 4-aminobiphenyl, crystallizes in two polymorphs. The two phases, denoted (I) and (II), undergo a spin-crossover when the sample is cooled and present distinct spin-transition features as (I) shows a very abrupt spin transition, while (II) exhibits a gradual transition. The two forms of the complex are used to investigate the correlations that exist between the spin-transition features and structural features. This article presents the crystal structures of polymorph (II) at room temperature (high spin) and at 120 K (low spin), including a comparison with those of polymorph (I). This study reveals that the packing, in a first approximation, is similar in both forms. In order to look at the crystal structures in more detail, a new angular parameter, denoted theta(NCS), as well as a particular type of intermolecular hydrogen-bond interaction, which involves the S atoms of the NCS ligands, are investigated. Interestingly, this angle and this intermolecular interaction can be directly connected to the cooperativity of the spin transition. Such a result is extended to all the SCO iron(II) complexes belonging to the same family of the general formula [Fe(PM-L)(2)(NCS)(2)].

[Fe(hyptrz)3](4-chloro-3-nitrophenylsulfonate)22 H2O (1; hyptrz=4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,2,4-triazole) has been synthesized and its physical properties have been investigated by several physical techniques including magnetic susceptibility measurements, calorimetry, and Mössbauer, optical, and EXAFS spectroscopy. Compound 1 exhibits a spin transition below room temperature, together with a very wide thermal hysteresis of about 50 K. This represents the widest hysteresis loop ever observed for an FeII-1,2,4-triazole spin transition material. The cooperativity is discussed on the basis of temperature-dependent EXAFS studies and of the structural features of a CuII analogue. The EXAFS structural model of (1) in both spin states is compared to that obtained for a related material whose spin transition occurs above room temperature. EXAFS spectroscopy suggests that 1,2,4-triazole chain compounds retain a linear character whatever the spin state of the iron(II).

The crystal structures in both irradiated and nonirradiated states of a photoinduced molecular switch based on the spin-crossover phenomenon are presented. From the structural point of view, the light-induced metastable high-spin state of the spin-crossover complex [Fe(phen)2(NCS)2] (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) shows significant differences with the low-spin state but also with the thermally induced high-spin state.

The new spin-crossover compound Fe(PM-BiA)(2)(NCS)(2) with PM-BiA = N-(2-pyridylmethylene)aminobiphenyl has been synthesized. The temperature dependence of chi(M)T (chi(M) = molar magnetic susceptibility and T = temperature) has revealed an exceptionally abrupt transition between low-spin (LS) (S = 0) and high-spin (HS) (S = 2) states with a well-reproducible hysteresis loop of 5 K (T(1/2) downward arrow = 168 K and T(1/2) upward arrow = 173 K). The crystal structure has been determined both at 298 K in the HS state and at 140 K in the LS state. The spin transition takes place without change of crystallographic space group (Pccn with Z = 4). The determination of the intermolecular contacts in the LS and HS forms has revealed a two-dimensional structural character. The enthalpy and entropy variations, DeltaH and DeltaS, associated with the spin transition have been deduced from heat capacity measurements. DeltaS (= 58 J K(-)(1) mol(-)(1)) is larger than for other spin transition bis(thiocyanato) iron(II) derivatives. At 10 K the well-known LIESST (light-induced excited spin state trapping) effect has been observed within the SQUID cavity, by irradiating a single crystal or a powder sample with a Kr(+) laser coupled to an optical fiber. The magnetic behavior recorded under light irradiation in the warming and cooling modes has revealed a light-induced thermal hysteresis (LITH) effect with 35 < T(1/2) < 77 K. The HS --> LS relaxation after LIESST has been found to deviate from first-order kinetics. The kinetics has been investigated between 10 and 78 K. A thermally activated relaxation behavior at elevated temperatures and a nearly temperature independent tunneling mechanism at low temperatures have been observed. The slow rate of tunneling from the metastable HS state toward the ground LS state may be explained by the unusually large change in Fe-N bond lengths between these two states.