This dissertation primarily focuses on the synthesis, characterization and reactivity studies of a series of linear two-coordinate, late transition metal complexes. Except Chapter 1, all the chapters were published as peer-reviewed articles in academic journals. Chapter 1 consists of two parts: the first part provides a brief introduction and review on the current state of the field for two-coordinate, open-shell transition metal complexes. Chapter 2 details the synthesis, spectroscopic characterization of three strictly linearly coordinated Fe, Co and Ni complexes of formula M{N(SiMee3)Dipp}2. It was found from dispersion-corrected DFT calculations that attractive dispersion forces played an important role in stabilizing these species with unusual geometries. SQUID magnetic measurement showed that both Fe{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2 and Co{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2 have high magnetic moments compared to their spin-only value, which is due to the unquenched orbital angular momentum (OAM) contribution. Several collaborating efforts that resulted in a number of different publications are also included. Slow magnetic relaxation studies on Fe{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2 revealed a spin reversal barrier (U[subscript eff]) of 181 cm−1, a second highest value to date (June 2017) for a mononuclear transition metal complex. 57Fe Mößbauer spectroscopy showed a record high internal field of 162 T created by the unquenched OAM, which is the highest internal field reported so far for any Fe containing compound. Chapter 3 gives details of the reduction of M{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2 (M = Fe, Co, Ni). It was found that these species can be reduced to their +1 oxidation state and at the same time, remain two-coordinate at the metal center. These complexes, with formula of [K(18-crown-6)][M{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2], formed a rare series of the two-coordinate M(I) complexes. SQUID magnetic measurement showed that Fe and Co species had a high magnetic moment compared to their spin-only value, which is again due to the unquenched orbital angular momentum. In a similar fashion, chapter 4 reports the reduction of the first two-coordinate transition metal complexes, Mn{C(SiMe3)3}2, which was originally reported by Eaborn and coworkers in 1985. Mn{C(SiMe3)3}2 was reduced with KC8 in the presence of two different alkali metal ion complexing agents, 18-crown-6 and 15-crown-5. It was found that although the anion remained two-coordinate, the geometries differ due to the shallow potential well for the C−Mn−C coordination. In addition, although they have near-linear manganese coordination but the orbital magnetism is almost completely quenched as a result of 4s−3d[subscript z]2 orbital mixing which affords a non-degenerate ground state. Chapter 5 presents a serendipitous finding during our course of investigating the magnetic properties of three-coordinate transition metal complexes, M{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2(L) (M = Fe, Co, Ni; L = Lewis base), we found that the complexation of the Lewis bases are reversible. Using electronic and NMR spectroscopy, we were able to determine the binding constants of THF, THT (tetrahydrothiophene), pyridine, DMAP (4-dimethylaminopyridine), PMe3, PCy3 and IMes (1,3-bis(1,3,5-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) to M{N(SiMe3)Dipp}2 and the binding strengths was found to be in the order of DMAP > pyridine > PMe3 > PCy3 ≈ IMes > THF > THT and those of the respective metals was in the order of Fe > Co > Ni. Finally, Chapter 6 is a Review that stems from our interest in two-coordinate transition metal complexes of +1 oxidation state. In particular, although Ni(I) complexes are far less numerous than complexes of its neighboring oxidation states (Ni(0) and Ni(II)), they have many applications that include small molecule activation, catalysis and magnetism.

This dissertation describes the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity studies of new low-coordinate complexes of readily available and inexpensive transition metals such as iron, cobalt and nickel. The compounds were magnetically characterized in detail and tested for single molecule magnet (SMM) behavior. SMMs are a topic of intense research because of their potential applications in magnetic memory, high-density information storage and quantum computing technologies. Low-coordinate compounds display magnetic moments that indicate high orbital angular momentum and are very promising candidates for SMM behavior because they also tend to have large negative zero-field splitting (D) values. The complexes reported here are stabilized by using a variety of amido, aryloxo and thiolato ligands with bulky terphenyl groups and also using aryl and alkyl substituted silylamides. A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) and Evans' methods were used to study the magnetic properties and single crystal X-ray crystallography and NMR (1H and 13C) were used to confirm the structures of these compounds in both the solid and solution states. Further characterization studies included UV-visible, near-IR, and IR spectroscopy, melting point, elemental analysis and DFT calculations, where applicable, in order to determine the electronic configurations and bonding schemes. At present there are ca. 100 stable open shell two-coordinate mononuclear transition metal complexes currently known but ca. 20% have a linear coordination at the metal atom with only a few being strictly 180° at their metal center. Very few of these compounds had been magnetically characterized. In Chapter 2, the synthesis and magnetic characterization of the late transition metal Co2+ (d7) and Ni2+ (d8) primary amido complexes Co{N(H)Ar(iPr6)}2, Co{N(H)Ar(Me6)}2, Ni{N(H)Ar(iPr6)}2 and Ni{N(H)Ar(Me6)}2 (Ar(Me6) = C6H3-2,6(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)2, Ar(iPr6) = C6H3-2,6(C6H2-2,4,6-(i)Pr3)2) are described. The investigations showed that they exhibit interesting magnetic behavior. The bent versus linear geometries of the complexes enable direct observation of the effects of orbital angular momentum quenching upon bending the metal coordination geometry. The electronic configuration of the linear cobalt(II) complexes does not predict first order orbital angular momentum and yet, the magnetic moment of Co{N(H)Ar(iPr6))2 is much higher than the spin only value which suggests a large spin-orbit coupling effects due to mixing of the ground and excited states. In Chapter 3, the synthesis and characterization of the mononuclear chromium, iron, cobalt and nickel terphenyl substituted thiolate complexes Cr(SAr(Me6))2, Cr(SAr(iPr4))2, Fe(SAr(iPr4))2, Co(SAr(iPr4))2 and Ni(SAr(iPr4))2 are described. Their structures show bent coordination geometries of varying degree with strong secondary M-[eta]6 and M-C(ipso) flanking aryl ring interactions of ca. 2.153 [Angstrom] for Fe(SAr(iPr4))2, ca. 1.625 [Angstrom] for Co(SAr(iPr4))2 and ca. 1.731 [Angstrom] for Ni(SAr(iPr4))2. This observation is in sharp contrast to the almost linear coordination observed for the derivatives of the related but more crowded terphenyl thiolate ligand, SAr(iPr6), in M(SAr(iPr6))2 complexes where M = Cr, Fe, Co and Ni and the strictly linear geometry observed for the terphenyloxo analogs M(OAr(iPr4))2 where M = Fe and Co. Magnetic moments for these species are, in general, lower than the spin-only values. Expect for chromium, this is an unexpected observation for late transition metal low-coordinate complexes. The suppression of magnetic moments is most like due to the strong M-arene interactions which effectively increases the coordination number at the metal atom. These results demonstrate the important role that substituents play on the flanking rings of the terphenyl ligands and begs further investigations involving the role of dispersion in the isolation of low coordination mononuclear transition metal complexes. The divalent silylamides M{N(SiMe3)2}2 (M = Mn, Fe, and Co) are key synthons for low-coordinate transition-metal derivatives. In Chapter 4, the previously reported, but incorrectly characterized cobalt(II) silylamide, [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2]2 has been spectroscopically and magnetically characterized for the first time. In addition, the new Lewis base complexes [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2(PMe3)], and [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2(THF)], as well as a previously reported complex [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2(py)] were isolated and characterized. Magnetic studies showed that they had considerably larger magnetic moments than the spin-only value of 3.87 [mu](B), which is indicative of a significant zero-field splitting and g-tensor anisotropy. In addition to their interesting magnetic behavior and unexpectedly large D values in the range of -20 to -80 cm−1. The electronic spectrum of [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2]2 in solution showed that earlier characterization spectra of "Co{N(SiMe3)2}2" match that of the bright green THF adduct and not the dark brown cobalt dimer [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2]2. In Chapter 5, it is shown that the reaction of the versatile cobalt(II) amide, [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2]2, with four equivalents of the sterically crowded terphenyl phenols, HOAr(Me6) and HOAr(iPr4) (Ar(iPr4) = C6H3-2,6(C6H3-2,6-(i)Pr2)2) produced the first well-characterized, monomeric two-coordinate cobalt(II) bisaryloxides, Co{OAr(Me6))2 and Co(OAr(iPr4))2. Not only are these very rare examples of two-coordinate transition metal(II) aryloxides, but the magnetic moments of both the linear and the bent species were well in excess of the spin only value for cobalt(II) ion. It was demonstrated that careful manipulation of the synthetic conditions for Co(OAr(iPr4))2 could produce varying occupancies of the cobalt(II) site and that after weighting the magnetic susceptibilities of the compounds accordingly, the moments were shown to be in close agreement with each other. Chapter 6 reports the synthesis of the unstable nickel(II) bis(silylamide) complex Ni{N(SiMe3)2}2 via the reaction of NiI2 and two equivalents of NaN(SiMe3)2 in tetrahydrofuran, as well as two of its Lewis base adducts, Ni{N(SiMe3)2}2(THF) and Ni{N(SiMe3)2}2(py)2. The reaction of two equivalents of LiN(SiMe3)2 with NiCl2(DME) in tetrahydrofuran afforded the reduced homoleptic tetrameric nickel(I) amide complex, [Ni{N(SiMe3)2}]4. This unique polymetallic structure having a Ni4N4 planar array has four S = 1/2 nickel (I) ions and an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling constant of J = -102(2) cm−1. This study provides strong evidence that the formation of nickel(II) and nickel(I) amido complexes is possible without the use of sterically demanding ligand sets.

This dissertation focuses on the synthesis, characterization and reactivity study of terphenyl ligand stabilized bis([mu]-oxo) dimeric iron and cobalt complexes. The synthesis and characterization of low-coordinate cobalt alkyl and iron alkyl complexes are also described. In addition, it describes the preparation of the first monomeric homoleptic solvent-free bis(aryloxide) lanthanide complex. The solid state structures of new compounds were determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Magnetic properties of paramagnetic compounds were measured by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) or Evans' methods for solid state or solution phase, respectively. The new compounds were also characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy. Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry and elemental analysis were employed to characterize some of the compounds when applicable. In some cases, DFT calculations were applied to elucidate the bonding and energy levels of molecular orbitals in the complexes. In Chapter 2, The bis([mu]-oxo) dimeric complexes {Ar[superscript iPr8]OM([mu]-O)}2 (Ar [superscript iPr8] = -C6H-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-[superscript i]Pr3)2-3,5-[superscript i]Pr2; M = Fe or Co) were prepared by oxidation of the metal (I) half-sandwich complexes {Ar[superscript iPr8]M([eta]6-arene)} (arene = benzene or toluene; M = Fe or Co). The iron species {Ar[superscript iPr8]OFe([mu]-O)}2 was prepared by reacting {Ar[superscript iPr8]Fe([eta]6-benzene)} with N2O or O2 and the cobalt species {Ar[superscript iPr8]OCo([mu]-O)}2 was prepared by reacting {Ar[superscript iPr8]Co([eta]6-toluene)} with O2. Both {Ar[superscript iPr8]OFe([mu]-O)}2 and {Ar[superscript iPr8]OCo([mu]-O)}2 were characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV-vis spectroscopy, magnetic measurements and, in the case of the iron species, by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The solid-state structures of both compounds reveal unique M2([mu]-O)2 (M = Fe or Co) cores with formally three-coordinate metal ions. The Fe···Fe separation in {Ar[superscript iPr8]OFe([mu]-O)}2 bears a resemblance to that in the Fe2([mu]-O)2 diamond core proposed for the methane monooxygenase intermediate Q. The structural differences between {Ar[superscript iPr8]OFe([mu]-O)}2 and {Ar[superscript iPr8]OCo([mu]-O)}2 are reflected in rather differing magnetic behavior. Compound {Ar[superscript iPr8]OCo([mu]-O)}2 is thermally unstable and its decomposition at room temperature resulted in the oxidation of the Ar[superscript iPr8] ligand via oxygen insertion and addition to the central aryl ring of the terphenyl ligand to produce the 5,5'-peroxy-bis[4,6-[superscript i]Pr2-3,7-bis(2,4,6-iPr3-phenyl)oxepin-2(5H)-one]. The structure of the oxidized terphenyl species is closely related to that of a key intermediate proposed for the oxidation of benzene. In Chapter 3, the homoleptic, cobalt(I) alkyl [Co{C(SiMe2Ph)3}]2 was prepared by reacting CoCl2 with [Li{C(SiMe2Ph)3}(THF)] in a 1:2 ratio though the initial intent was to synthesize a dialkyl cobalt (II) complex. Attempts to synthesize the corresponding iron(I) species led to the iron(II) salt [Li(THF)4][Fe2([mu]-Cl)3{C(SiMe2Ph)3}2]. Both complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV-vis spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. The structure of [Co{C(SiMe2Ph)3}]2 consists of dimeric units in which each cobalt(I) ion is [sigma]-bonded to the central carbon of the alkyl group -C(SiMe2Ph)3 and [pi]-bonded to one of the phenyl rings of the -C(SiMe2Ph)3 ligand attached to the other cobalt(I) ion in the dimer. The structure of [Li(THF)4][Fe2([mu]-Cl)3{C(SiMe2Ph)3}2] features three chlorides bridging two iron(II) ions. Each iron (II) ion is also [sigma]-bonded to the central carbon of a terminal -C(SiMe2Ph)3 anionic ligand. The magnetic properties of [Co{C(SiMe2Ph)3}]2 reveal the presence of two independent cobalt (I) ions with S = 1 and a significant zero-field splitting of D = 38.0(2) cm−1. The magnetic properties of [Li(THF)4][Fe2([mu]-Cl)3{C(SiMe2Ph)3}2] reveal extensive antiferromagnetic exchange coupling with J = -149(4) cm−1 and a large second-order Zeeman contribution to its molar magnetic susceptibility. Formation of the alkyl [Co{C(SiMe2Ph)3}]2 and the halide complex [Li(THF)4][Fe2([mu]-Cl)3{C(SiMe2Ph)3}2] under similar conditions is probably due to the fact that Co(II) is more readily reduced than Fe(II). Some other synthetic routes were also attempted to synthesize a dialkyl cobalt (II) complex and they are described in this chapter. Neither [Co(NPh2)2]2 nor cobaltocene reacts with [Li{C(SiMe2Ph)3}(THF)] to afford a dialkyl cobalt (II) complex. Metathesis reactions of cobalt halides with lithium salts of alkyl ligand HCPh2R (R = -Ph or -SiMe3) resulted in the reduction of cobalt (II) to cobalt metal and the coupling of ligands, which indicate that homolytic cleavage of the cobalt-carbon bond was probably involved in the metathesis reactions. Furthermore, in chapter 4, reaction of Sm[N(SiMe3)2]2(THF)2 with two equivalents of bulky aryloxide ligand HOAr[superscript iPr6] (Ar[superscript iPr6] = -C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-[superscript i]Pr3)2) afforded the first monomeric homoleptic solvent-free bis(aryloxide) lanthanide complex Sm(OAr[superscript iPr6])2. The complex was characterized by crystallography, UV-Visible spectrum, IR and magnetically by the Evans' method. The O-Sm-O angle is bent at 111.08(9)̊. The samarium ion in Sm(OAr[superscript iPr6])2 also shows weak interactions with the flanking aryl rings of the terphenyloxide ligands. The complex is paramagnetic at room temperature with magnetic moment of 3.51 [mu]B.

The research in this dissertation is focused on the synthesis, structural, and magnetic characterization of two-coordinate open shell (d1-d4) transition metal complexes. Background information on this field of endeavor is provided in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2 I describe the synthesis and characterization of the mononuclear chromium (II) terphenyl substituted primary amido complexes and a Lewis base adduct. These studies suggest that the two-coordinate chromium complexes have significant spin-orbit coupling effects which lead to moments lower than the spin only value of 4.90 [mu]B owing to the fact that [lambda] (the spin orbit coupling parameter) is positive. The three-coordinated complex 2.3 had a magnetic moment of 3.77 [mu]B. The synthesis and characterization of the first stable two-coordinate vanadium complexes are described in Chapter 3. The values suggest a significant spin orbital angular momentum contribution that leads to a magnetic moment that is lower than their spin only value of 3.87 [mu]B. DFT calculations showed that the major absorptions in their UV-Vis spectra were due to ligand to metal charge transfer transitions. The titanium synthesis and characterization of the bisamido complex along with its three-coordinate titanium(III) precursor are described in Chapter 4. Compound 4.1 was obtained via the stoichiometric reaction of LiN(H)AriPr 6 with the Ti(III) complex TiCl3 *2NMe3 in trimethylamine. The precursor 4.1 has trigonal pyramidal coordination at the titanium atom, with bonding to two amido nitrogens and a chlorine as well as a secondary interaction to a flanking aryl ring of a terphenyl substituent. Compound 4.2 displays a very distorted four-coordinate metal environment in which the titanium atom is bound to two amido nitrogens and to two carbons from a terphenyl aryl ring. This structure is in sharp contrast to the two-coordinate linear structure that was observed in its first row metal (V-Ni) analogs. The synthesis and characterization of mononuclear chromium(II) terphenyl primary substituted thiolate complexes are described in Chapter 5. Reaction of the terphenyl primary thiolate lithium derivatives LiSAriPr4 and LiSArMe6 with CrCl2THF2 in a 2:1 ratio afforded complexes 5.1 and 5.2, which are the very rare examples of chromium(II) thiolates with quasi-two-coordination at the metal center. Both deviate from linearity and have S-Cr-S angles of 111.02(3)° and 107.86(3)° with secondary Cr-C(aryl ring) interactions of ca. 2.115 Å and 1.971 Å respectively. The initial work on titanium and vanadium terphenyl thiolates is described in Appendix I and II. In Chapter 6 I show that the reaction of K2COT (COT= 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene, C8H8) with an aryl chromium(II) halide gave (CrAriPr4)2([mu]2-n3:n4-COT) (6.1) in which a non-planar COT ring is complexed between two CrAriPr4 moieties -- a configuration previously unknown for chromium complexes of COT. OneCr2+ ion is bonded primarily to three COT carbons (Cr--C= 2.22-2.30 Å ) as well as an ipso carbon (Cr-C= ca. 2.47 Å) from a flanking aryl ring of its terphenyl substituent. The other Cr2+ ion bonds to an ipso carbon (Cr-C= ca. 2.53 Å) from its terphenyl substituent as well as four COT carbons (Cr--C= 2.24-2.32 Å). The COT carbon-carbon distances display an alternating pattern, consistent with the non-planarity and non-aromatic character of the ring. The magnetic properties of 6.1 indicate that the Cr2+ ions have a high-spin d4 configuration with S = 2. The temperature dependence of the magnetism indicates that their behavior is due to zero-field splitting of the S = 2 state. Attempts to prepare 6.1 by the direct reaction of quintuple-bonded (CrAriPr4)2 with COT were unsuccessful. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) --Proquest.

The newest volume in the authoritative Inorganic Syntheses book series provides users of inorganic substances with detailed and foolproof procedures for the preparation of important and timely inorganic and organometallic compounds that can be used in reactions to develop new materials, drug targets, and bio-inspired chemical entities.

This book deals with some modern methods used in the synthesis and characterization of transition metal complexes. It is written primarily to stimulate the interest of students in metallo-organic chemistry and spectroscopy as well. The book is contained much useful spectral data in the form of tables and spectra. It contains a number of electronic, IR and EPR spectra, so the reader who is not familiar with these techniques can see how the spectra actually appear. It begins with a general introduction of applications of transition metal complexes in different fields. In subsequent chapters the detailed study regarding the synthesis and physicochemical characterization of bivalent transition metal ions [Cr(III), Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II)] complexes derived from 2-methylcyclohexanone semicarbazone and thiosemicarbazone using modern techniques like elemental analysis, magnetic moments and conductance measurements and spectroscopic (Electronic, IR, EPR ) studies is discussed. The geometry of synthesized complexes is emphasized. The book is intended to be useful to new metallo-organic researchers.