Valence tautomeric interconversion of bis-dioxolene cobalt complex with imino-pyridine functionalized by TEMPO moiety in solid solutions with isostructural nickel analogue: phase transitions and monocrystal destruction†

Valence tautomeric complexes (VT) are promising systems for creating molecular devices. From this viewpoint, valence tautomeric complexes with a hysteresis loop on the magnetic curve are of special interest as potential memory elements. The hysteresis loop is a consequence of retarded structural rearrangements which investigation is an actual problem. Recently, we have described a new VT transition taking place in a bis-dioxolene cobalt complex with imino-pyridine having a TEMPO substituent (A. A. Zolotukhin, et al., Inorg. Chem., 2017, 56, 14751–14754). Valence tautomeric transformation occurs with a hysteresis loop and is accompanied by a phase transition. The phase transition taking place during cooling is accompanied by crystal destruction. This fact makes it impossible to monitor the structural changes responsible for the hysteresis loop. The current research attempts to resolve this problem. A nickel compound of the same composition (TEMPO-imino-pyridine)Ni(3,6-DBSQ)₂ was synthesized and characterized. It was established to be isostructural with the cobalt complex. It was used as an inert matrix for the dilution of the VT cobalt complex. The number of solid solutions with Co/Ni ratios of 1 : 1, 1 : 2, 1 : 4, and 1 : 8 was obtained. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements show that VT transformation with a hysteresis loop takes place in all solid solutions. The hysteresis loop is shifted to low temperatures primarily due to the shifting of its low-temperature boundary with dilution. The hysteresis width does not change significantly with dilution. DSC detected that transformations are accompanied by phase transitions at different temperatures at cooling and heating. The phase transition at the first cooling occurs at slightly lower temperatures compared with subsequent cycles. These temperatures correspond to the transition temperatures detected from the magnetic curves. The phase transition during the first cooling is accompanied by crystal destruction. Physical destruction takes place in the crystals of all solid solutions. X-ray diffraction powder patterns confirm that phase transition is accompanied by considerable reorganization of the crystal structure typical for the first order transitions. The unit cell volume of solid solutions is larger than that of pure complexes. Especially calculated crystal invariom indicated that the “lattice energy” in a solid solution is the lowest compared with that in “pure” nickel and cobalt complexes.