DFT Calculations as a Tool to Analyse Quadrupole Splittings of Spin Crossover Fe(II) complexes

Density functional methods have been applied to calculate the quadrupole splitting of a series of iron(II) spin crossover complexes. Experimental and calculated values are in reasonable agreement. In one case spin-orbit coupling is necessary to explain the very small quadrupole splitting value of 0.77 mm/s at 293 K for a high-spin isomer.

Dynamics of Metal Centers Monitored by Nuclear Inelastic Scattering

Nuclear inelastic scattering of synchrotron radiation has been used now since 10 years as a tool for vibrational spectroscopy. This method has turned out especially useful in case of large molecules that contain a Mossbauer active metal center. Recent applications to iron-sulfur proteins, to iron(II) spin crossover complexes and to tin-DNA complexes are discussed. Special emphasis is given to the combination of nuclear inelastic scattering and density functional calculations.

Density Functional Theory Calculations for Spin Crossover Complexes

Density functional theory (DFT) provides a theoretical framework for efficient and fairly accurate calculations of the electronic structure of molecules and crystals. The main features of density functional theory are described and DFT methods are compared with wavefunction-based methods like the Hartree-Fock approach. Some recent applications of DFT to spin crossover complexes are reviewed, e.g., the calculation of Mossbauer parameters, of vibrational modes and of differences of entropy, vibrational energy, and total electronic energy between high-spin and low-spin isomers.

Mossbauer Studies of Coordination Compounds using Synchrotron Radiation

Nuclear resonant forward scattering (NFS) and nuclear inelastic scattering (NIS) of synchrotron radiation are fairly recent spectroscopic methods for the investigation of complexes containing Mossbauer-active transition metal ions. NFS, which can be regarded as Mossbauer spectroscopy in the time domain, overcomes some limitations of conventional Mossbauer spectroscopy as has been demonstrated especially for bioinorganic compounds. NIS extends the energy range of conventional Mossbauer spectroscopy to the range of molecular vibrations. Since NIS is sensitive only to the mean-square displacement of Mossbauer nuclei it can be used as site-selective vibrational spectroscopy. It complements usefully comparable techniques such as IR or Raman spectroscopy. Examples are given for applications to spin crossover complexes, nitroprusside compounds, heme model complexes and myoglobin.

Chemical Bonds and Spin State Splittings in Spin Crossover Complexes. A DFT and QTAIM Analysis

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed for the high-spin (HS) and low-spin (LS) isomers of a series of iron(II) spin crossover complexes with nitrogen ligands. The calculated charge densities have been analyzed in the framework of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). For a number of iron(II) complexes with substituted tris(pyrazolyl) ligands the energy difference between HS and LS isomers, the spin state splitting, has been decomposed into atomic contributions in order to rationalize changes of the spin state splitting due to substituent effects.

Substituent Effects on the Spin-Transition Temperature in Complexes with Tris(pyrazolyl) Ligands

Iron (II) complexes with substituted tris(pyrazolyl) ligands, which exhibit a thermally driven transition from a low-spin state at low temperatures to a high-spin state at elevated temperatures, have been studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the observed spectra the molar high-spin fraction and the transition temperature have been extracted. All substituents, except for bromine, lead to a decrease of the transition temperature. Density functional calculations have been carried out to compare the experimentally observed shifts of the transition temperature with those derived from theory.