Controlling excited-state relaxation processes is important in a variety of photochemical and photophysical processes, including the generation of ground- and excited-state spin polarization for quantum information science applications. Here, we address how specific static distortions, based on vibrational spin-orbit active modes at C2v symmetry determined by group theory, in a series of low-symmetry ligand-to-ligand charge transfer complexes enable direct spin-orbit coupling contributions to T1 → S0 excited-state decay. These results are used to address spin-vibronic coupling contributions to T1 → S0 decay in a high-symmetry (tBu2bpy)Pt(S,S) (tBu2bpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine and S,S = benzene-1,2-dithiolate) ligand-to-ligand charge transfer complex with effective C2v symmetry, where T1 relaxation is both spin- and orbitally forbidden due to the direct spin-orbit coupling matrix element being zero by symmetry. Low-frequency vibrations that involve a pyridine-pyridine twisting motion within the bpy ligand generate large ∂⟨S0|HSO|T1⟩/∂Qi values that will contribute significantly to T1 → S0 relaxation. The work advances ligand design strategies for the generation of tailored T1 → S0 relaxation rates, which can be utilized to optimize the generation of electron spin polarization and excited state decay processes in radical-elaborated ligand-to-ligand charge transfer complexes.

This work identifies the impact of covalent metal-ligand interactions on the excited states of planar [M(diimine)(dithiolate)] complexes (M = Pt, Ni) with bipyridyl (bpy) and benzene-1,2-dithiolate (bdt) ligands. The long-lived excited states of the Pt(II) complexes have long been surmised to have metal-and-dithiolate ligand → diimine ligand charge transfer (MLL'CT) character due to disproportionately strong metal-dithiolate orbital mixing, whereas the nature of the shorter-lived excited states of the nonluminescent Ni(II) complexes has not been investigated. Time-resolved Pt 2p (L3-edge) X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy is presented herein to definitively prove that strong orbital overlap between the metal center and dithiolate ligand yields the MLL'CT character of the long-lived excited state in [Pt(bpy)(bdt)]. For [Ni(bpy)(bdt)], ultrafast transient Ni 1s (K-edge) XANES is used to resolve the electronic and structural relaxation dynamics following MLL'CT excitation. Combined with electronic structure calculations, the results show that the low-lying Ni 3dyz orbital in [Ni(bpy)(bdt)] facilitates subpicosecond formation of a metastable triplet excited state with ligand field state symmetry (3LF). Tetrahedral structural relaxation dynamically alters the differential Ni-diimine and Ni-dithiolate covalencies and thereby modulates the resulting excited state charge distribution. The Ni-and-bpy → bdt charge transfer character of the fully relaxed 3LF state is found to reverse the directionality of the ligand-to-ligand charge transfer established for the 3MLL'CT state of the Pt congener. Altogether, these results demonstrate that inequivalent metal-ligand covalencies in mixed-ligand donor-acceptor complexes could be applied to control excited state charge distributions within photoactive transition metal complexes.

Organic molecules are being actively explored for use in logical devices, either as individual memory elements or as components embedded in small organic and polymeric materials. Conventional inorganic semiconductor devices are limited in terms of performance improvement owing to increased costs for device fabrication as well as physical limitations on minimum feature dimensions. Organic memory, however, is a possible substitute for both volatile and non-volatile memory devices. It has the advantages of facile tailoring through organic synthesis, simple device fabrication (even upon flexible substrates), and very low power consumption. Volatile organic memory is expected to be applied towards dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically requires a data refresh every few milliseconds, while non-volatile organic memory can be applied to read-only memory (ROM) and flash-type memory. Several types of organic and polymeric materials have been reported for this purpose, such as organic semiconductors, charge-transfer complexes (including redoxactive compounds), and metal-nanoparticle-dispersed thin films. Recently, a new type of organic memory has been added to this list, namely organic radical molecules (nitroxide radicals, NOC) that contain an unpaired electron that is capable of undergoing oxidation or reduction by applied bias voltages. Figure 1

Transient electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy has been used to probe photoinduced electron spin polarization in the recovered ground states of four radical-elaborated (CAT)Pt(bpy) donor-acceptor complexes (CAT = catechol; bpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine). These complexes are comprised of one or two S = 1/2 nitronyl nitroxide radicals attached through different phenylethynyl bridges to the 3- or 3,6 positions of the CAT donor. In this study, we demonstrate the effects of substitution patterns on the magnitude of the TREPR signal, thereby guiding future design principles for generating and understanding the origin of photoinduced electron spin polarization in these and related chromophores.

Spectroscopic and photophysical properties of a radical-substituted ligand-to-ligand charge transfer complex (1-NN) are presented and compared to the parent, diamagnetic complex, 1. Although 1-NN and 1 have identical emission quantum yields, the photoluminescence lifetime of 1-NN is reduced to ∼60% of that observed for 1. This is nominally due to the contribution of additional NN vibrational modes in 1-NN that enhance the competitive nonradiative decay process relative to 1. The observation of photoluminescence in radical-substituted chromophores such as 1-NN points to their potential as highly tunable platforms for the development of new molecular color centers for quantum information science applications.

Solid-state variable-temperature, variable-field magneto-photoluminescence experiments have been performed on the emissive excited triplet state (T1) of the ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LL′CT) complex (qdt)Pt(dbbpy) (qdt = quinoxaline-2,3-dithiolate; dbbpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2-2′-bipyridine). We observe a strong temperature and magnetic field dependence of the PL spectra, and the spin–lattice relaxation (T1) among ms levels within the T1 state appears to be accelerated due to both ZFS in the T1 state and the presence of the applied magnetic field, allowing for an assessment of the axial ZFS parameter (D) for the chromophoric T1 state, which is EPR silent at X-band (∼9 GHz). Analysis of the data indicates a zero-field splitting (ZFS) of the T1 state (−2.9 ± 0.7 cm−1) that derives from the presence of spin–orbit coupling related to the heavy Pt(II) ion. The results have been used to provide an estimate of the ZFS in the quartet excited state of related radical-elaborated (radical-dichalcogenolene)Pt(dbbpy) complexes. This information is necessary to understand how transitions between the 2T1 and 4T1 excited states in these radical-elaborated complexes lead to electron spin polarization within their 2T1 state and how this is transferred to the 2S0 electronic ground state.

Photoinduced electron spin polarization (ESP) is reported in the electronic ground states of three Pt(II) complexes comprised of two S = 1/2 nitronyl nitroxide (NN) radicals attached through different length para-phenylethynyl bridges to the 3,6 positions of a catecholate (CAT, donor) and 4,4 '-di-tert-butyl-2,2 '-bipyridine (bpy, acceptor). Complexes 1-3 have from 17 to 41 bonds separating NN radicals and display cw-EPR spectra consistent with |J(NN-NN)| >> |a(N)|, |J(NN-NN)| >= |a(N)|, and |J(NN-NN)| < |a(N)|, respectively, where J(NN-NN) is the magnetic exchange coupling between NN radicals in the electronic ground state, and a(N) is the isotropic N-14 hyperfine coupling constant. Light-induced transient EPR spectra characterized as enhanced ground-state absorption were observed for all three complexes using 532 nm pulsed laser excitation into the ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LL'CT) band of the (CAT)Pt(bpy) chromophore. The magnitude of the observed ESP increases in the order 1 < 2 < 3 and is inversely correlated with the magnitude of ground-state J(NN-NN). In addition to the experimental observation of net absorptive polarization in 1-3, light excitation also produces multiplet polarization in 2. Since the weak dipolar coupling leads to a strong spectral overlap of the absorptive and emissive components, the multiplet polarization is not observed in 1 and 3 and is very weak in 2. The ability to spin-polarize multiple radical spins with a single photon is anticipated to advance new photoinduced multi qubit/qudit ESP protocols for quantum information science applications.

The electronic structure of the bis(dioxolene) bridging ligand -SQ2Th2- is responsive to metal-ligand magnetic exchange coupling. Comparison of the crystal structure of (NiSQ)2Th2 to that of (ZnSQ)2Th2 indicates an open-shell biradical ground state for the dinuclear Ni(II) complex compared to the closed-shell quinoidal character found in the dinuclear Zn(II) complex. Consistent with a comparison of bond lengths obtained by X-ray diffraction, the analysis of the variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data for crystalline (NiSQ)2Th2 yields reduced SQ-SQ radical-radical magnetic exchange coupling (JSQ-SQ = -203 cm-1) compared to that of (ZnSQ)2Th2 (JSQ-SQ = -321 cm-1). The reduced SQ-SQ exchange coupling in (NiSQ)2Th2 derives from an attenuation of the SQ spin densities, which in turn is derived from the Ni-SQ antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. This reduction in SQ--SQ exchange that we observe for (NiSQ)2Th2 correlates with an effective lengthening of the bridge unit by ∼2.1 Å relative to that of (ZnSQ)2Th2. This magnitude of the effective increase in the bridge distance is consistent with the (NiSQ)2Th2 JSQ-SQ value lying between those of (ZnSQ)2Th2 and (ZnSQ)2Th3. The ability to modulate spin populations on an organic radical via pairwise Ni-SQ magnetic exchange interactions is a general way to affect electronic coupling in the Th-Th bridge. Our results suggest that metal-radical exchange coupling represents a powerful mechanism for tuning organic molecular electronic structure, with important implications for molecular electronics and molecular electron transport.

Photoinduced electron spin polarization (ESP) of a spin-½ organic radical (nitronyl nitroxide, NN) in a series of Pt(ii) complexes comprised of 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 3-tert-butylcatecholate (CAT) ligands, where the CAT ligand is substituted with (CH3)n-meta-phenyl-NN (bridge-NN) groups, is presented and discussed. We show the importance of attenuating the energy gap between localized NN radical and chromophoric excited states to control both the magnitude and sign of the optically-generated ESP, and to provide deeper insight into the details of the ESP mechanism. Understanding electronic structure contributions to optically generated ESP will enhance our ability to control the nature of prepared states for a variety of quantum information science applications, where strong ESP facilitates enhanced sensitivity and readout capabilities at low applied magnetic fields and higher temperatures.

A series of oligothiophene bis(dioxolene) complexes, SQ–Thn–SQ (SQ = S = ½TpCum,MeZnII(3-tert-butyl-orthosemiquinonate); TpCum,Me = tris(5-cumenyl-3-methylpyrazolyl)borate anion) have been synthesized, structurally characterized, and studied as a function of the number of thiophene bridging units, n (n = 0–3) using a combination of variable–temperature (VT) electronic absorption and EPR spectroscopies, and VT magnetic susceptibility measurements. The thiophene bridge bond lengths determined by X-ray crystallography display dramatic differences across the SQ–Thn–SQ series. Bridge bond deviation values (Σ|Δi|) display a progressive change in the nature of the bridge fragment bonding as the number of thiophene groups increases, with quinoidal bridge character for n = 1 (SQ–Th–SQ) and biradical character with “aromatic” bridge bond lengths for n = 3 (SQ–Th3–SQ). Remarkably, for n = 2 (SQ–Th2–SQ) the nature of the bridge fragment is intermediate between quinoid and biradical aromatic, which we describe as having open-shell character as opposed to biradicaloid since the open-shell biradical configuration does not have the correct symmetry to mix with the quinoidal ground-state configuration. This bridge bonding character is reflected in the energies of the lowest lying open-shell states for these three molecules. The SQ–Th–SQ molecule is diamagnetic at all temperatures studied, and we provide evidence for SQ–SQ antiferromagnetic exchange coupling and population of triplet states in SQ–Th2–SQ and SQ–Th3–SQ, with JSQ–SQ(ave) = −279 cm−1 (VT EPR/electronic absorption/magnetic susceptibility) and JSQ–SQ = −117 cm−1 (VT EPR/electronic absorption/magnetic susceptibility), respectively. The results have been interpreted in the context of state configurational mixing within a simplified 4-electron, 3-orbital model that explicitly contains contributions of a bridge fragment. Variable–temperature spectroscopic- and magnetic susceptibility data are consistent with two low-lying open-shell states for SQ–Th3–SQ, but three low-lying states (one closed-shell and two open-shell) for SQ–Th2–SQ. This model provides a simple symmetry-based framework to understand the continuum of electronic and geometric structures of this class of molecules as a function of the number of thiophene units in the bridge.

The synthesis and characterization of dinuclear ligand-to-ligand charge transfer complexes are described. Each complex is comprised of square-planar platinum(II) coordinated to a 3-tert-butyl-orthocatecholate donor and a 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine acceptor. Both complexes exhibit donor → acceptor ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LL'CT) bands in the visible spectrum. The platinum complexes are covalently attached at the catecholate 5-position to either a meta- or para-phenylene bridge fragment. Both cyclic voltammetry and electronic absorption spectroscopy exhibit features characteristic of intramolecular interaction between the platinum centres. The LL'CT excited state lifetimes are ∼twofold longer than the mononuclear parent complex. The properties of these complexes are discussed and compared to similar complexes in the literature.

A new donor-acceptor biradical complex, TpCum,MeZn(SQ-VD) (TpCum,MeZn+ = zinc(II) hydro-tris(3-cumenyl-5-methylpyrazolyl)borate complex cation; SQ = orthosemiquinone; VD = oxoverdazyl), which is a ground-state analogue of a charge-separated excited state, has been synthesized and structurally characterized. The magnetic exchange interaction between the S = 1/2 SQ and the S = 1/2 VD within the SQ-VD biradical ligand is observed to be ferromagnetic, with JSQ-VD = +77 cm-1 (H = -2JSQ-VDŜSQ·ŜVD) determined from an analysis of the variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data. The pairwise biradical exchange interaction in TpCum,MeZn(SQ-VD) can be compared with that of the related donor-acceptor biradical complex TpCum,MeZn(SQ-NN) (NN = nitronyl nitroxide, S = 1/2), where JSQ-NN ≅ +550 cm-1. This represents a dramatic reduction in the biradical exchange by a factor of ∼7, despite the isolobal nature of the VD and NN acceptor radical SOMOs. Computations assessing the magnitude of the exchange were performed using a broken-symmetry density functional theory (DFT) approach. These computations are in good agreement with those computed at the CASSCF NEVPT2 level, which also reveals an S = 1 triplet ground state as observed in the magnetic susceptibility measurements. A combination of electronic absorption spectroscopy and CASSCF computations has been used to elucidate the electronic origin of the large difference in the magnitude of the biradical exchange coupling between TpCum,MeZn(SQ-VD) and TpCum,MeZn(SQ-NN). A Valence Bond Configuration Interaction (VBCI) model was previously employed to highlight the importance of mixing an SQSOMO → NNLUMO charge transfer configuration into the electronic ground state to facilitate the stabilization of the high-spin triplet (S = 1) ground state in TpCum,MeZn(SQ-NN). Here, CASSCF computations confirm the importance of mixing the pendant radical (e.g., VD, NN) LUMO (VDLUMO and NNLUMO) with the SOMO of the SQ radical (SQSOMO) for stabilizing the triplet, in addition to spin polarization and charge transfer contributions to the exchange. An important electronic structure difference between TpCum,MeZn(SQ-VD) and TpCum,MeZn(SQ-NN), which leads to their different exchange couplings, is the reduced admixture of excited states that promote ferromagnetic exchange into the TpCum,MeZn(SQ-VD) ground state, and the intrinsically weaker mixing between the VDLUMO and the SQSOMO compared to that observed for TpCum,MeZn(SQ-NN), where this orbital mixing is significant. The results of this comparative study contribute to a greater understanding of biradical exchange interactions, which are important to our understanding of excited-state singlet-triplet energy gaps, electron delocalization, and the generation of electron spin polarization in both the ground and excited states of (bpy)Pt(CAT-radical) complexes.

Transient electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to probe photoinduced electron spin polarization of a stable exchange-coupled organic biradical in a Pt(II) complex comprising 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 3,6-bis(ethynyl-para-phenyl-nitronyl nitroxide)-o-catecholate (CAT(o-C≡C-Ph-NN)2). Photoexcitation results in four unpaired spins in excited states of this complex, with spins being localized on each of the two radicals, CAT•+ and bpy•-. The four spins are all exchange-coupled in these excited states, and an off-diagonal matrix element in the CAT•+-NN exchange allows for exchange-enhanced intersystem crossing to the 3T1a state, which possesses (bpy•-)Pt(CAT•+) chromophoric triplet character. Fast mixing between this 3T1a state and thermally accessible excited LL'CT state(s) followed by fast relaxation provides spin polarization of the exchange-coupled NN radicals in the 3S0 ground state of the complex. Our results demonstrate that well-defined quantum states of a ground-state biradical can be initialized with single-photon excitation and have the potential for further spin manipulation directed toward quantum information science applications.

Ground-state electron spin polarization (ESP) is generated in radical elaborated (bpy)Pt(CAT-NN) and (bpy)Pt(CAT-p-Me2PhMe2-NN) (bpy = 5,5'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, CAT = 3-tert-butylcatecholate, p-Ph = para-phenylene, NN = nitronylnitroxide). Photoexcitation produces an exchange-coupled, three-spin, charge-separated doublet 2S1 (S = chromophore excited spin singlet configuration) excited state that rapidly decays to a 2T1 (T = chromophore excited spin triplet configuration) excited state. The SQ-bridge-NN bond torsions affect the magnitude of the excited state exchange interaction (JSQ-NN), which determines the 2T1-4T1 energy gap. Ground state ESP is dependent on the magnitude of JSQ-NN, and we postulate that this results from differences in 2T1 and 4T1 state mixing. Mechanisms that lead to the rapid transfer of the excited state ESP to the ground state are discussed. Although subnanosecond 2T1 state lifetimes are measured optically in solution, the ground state ESP decays very slowly at 20 K and is observable for more than a millisecond.

Photoinduced electron spin polarization (ESP) is reported in the ground state of a series of complexes consisting of an organic radical (nitronylnitroxide, NN) covalently attached to a donor-acceptor chromophore either directly or via para-phenylene bridges substituted with 0-4 methyl groups. These molecules represent a class of chromophores that undergo visible light excitation to produce an initial exchange-coupled, three-spin [bpy•-, CAT•+ (= semiquinone, SQ) and NN•], charge-separated doublet 2S1 (S = chromophore spin singlet configuration) excited state that rapidly decays by magnetic exchange-enhanced internal conversion to a 2T1 (T = chromophore excited spin triplet configuration) state. The 2T1 state equilibrates with chromophoric and NN radical-derived excited states, resulting in absorptive ESP of the recovered ground state, which persists for greater than a millisecond and can be measured by low-temperature time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The magnitude of the ground state ESP is found to correlate with the excited state magnetic exchange interaction between the CAT+• and NN• radicals, which in turn is controlled by the structure of the bridge fragment.

A change in the sign of the ground state electron spin polarization (ESP) is reported in complexes where an organic radical (nitronylnitroxide, NN) is covalently attached to a donor–acceptor chromophoreviatwo differentmeta-phenylene bridges.

Both the sign and intensity of photoinduced electron spin polarization (ESP) in the electronic ground state doublet (2S0/D0) of chromophore-radical complexes can be controlled by changing the nature of the metal ion. The complexes consist of an organic radical (nitronyl nitroxide, NN) covalently attached to a donor-acceptor chromophore via a m-phenylene bridge, (bpy)M(CAT-m-Ph-NN) (1) (bpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, M = PdII (1-Pd) or PtII (1-Pt), CAT = 3-tert-butylcatecholate, m-Ph = meta-phenylene). In both complexes, photoexcitation with visible light produces an initial exchange-coupled, three-spin (bpy•-, CAT•+ = semiquinone (SQ), and NN•), charge-separated doublet 2S1 (S = chromophore excited spin singlet configuration) excited state that rapidly decays to the ground state via a 2T1 (T = chromophore excited spin triplet configuration) state. This process is not expected to be spin selective, and only very weak emissive ESP is found for 1-Pd. In contrast, strong absorptive ESP is generated in 1-Pt. It is postulated that zero-field-splitting-induced transitions between the chromophoric 2T1 and 4T1 states (1-Pd and 1-Pt) and spin-orbit-induced transitions between 2T1 and NN-based quartet states (1-Pt) account for the differences in polarization.

The development and investigation of smart materials, which present bistability when exposed to external stimuli is a key challenge to material physics and chemistry.Among the various types of these materials, the valence tautomers are compounds which switch between different electronic and spin states and can be used as sensors, signal processors and memory storage [1] since their solid structure does not present substantial rupture during the valence tautomerism (VT) interconversion.The VT has been studied in molecules with a cobalt metal center, nitrogen based ancillary ligands and semiquinone radicals [2-3], and it was observed that it is modulated by the ancillary ligand.For these cobalt complexes, the VT takes place in a reversible fashion [4], in both liquid state and solid state, as single crystals, being possibly dependent on the solid-state arrangement of the complexes and on solvation [5][6].The VT in such molecules can be induced by temperature as first and second order transitions with a wide range of characteristic T1/2 according to the ancillary ligand.In the low temperature regime, the VT is also shown to be induced with photo irradiation in multiple wavelengths.Interestingly, it can also be induced with soft and hard X-rays irradiation with high yield of metastable isomers [7-8].Among the cobalt complexes that display VT, the cobalt 3,5-di-tert-butyl semiquinone pyridine complex is a particularly interesting tautomer, because not only its valence tautomerism can be thermo and photo-induced, but also turned on or off by the presence of solvent molecules in the crystal lattice [5].It can be crystallized in two different forms, with and without a solvent molecule in the crystal lattice.The first shows no temperature dependence of its magnetic susceptibility, and in the second, the same dependence indicates that only half of the cobalt centers in the unit cell present VT, which we confirmed in X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments.This, along with results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, raised an interesting possibility of studying the behavior of particular sites of the crystal separately, utilizing X-ray energies around the cobalt K-edge to understand how each particular site responds to the temperature and how the total VT interconversion takes place within the crystal lattice.In our work we combine the site selectivity of XRD and the characteristic resonant X-ray absorption by cobalt atoms in different oxidation states, in order to spatially map the thermoinduced valence tautomerism within the crystal, and also within the cobalt complexes.

Electronic coupling through organic bridges facilitates magnetic exchange interactions and controls electron transfer and single-molecule device electron transport. Electronic coupling through alternant π-systems (e.g., benzene) is better understood than the corresponding coupling through nonalternant π-systems (e.g., azulene). Herein, we examine the structure, spectroscopy, and magnetic exchange coupling in two biradicals (1,3-SQ2Az and 1,3-SQ-Az-NN; SQ = the zinc(II) complex of spin-1/2 semiquinone radical anion, NN = spin-1/2 nitronylnitroxide; Az = azulene) that possess nonalternant azulene π-system bridges. The SQ radical spin density in both molecules is delocalized into the Az π-system, while the NN spin is effectively localized onto the five-atom ONCNO π-system of NN radical. The spin distributions and interactions are probed by EPR spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. We find that J = +38 cm-1 for 1,3-SQ2Az and J = +9 cm-1 for 1,3-SQ-Az-NN (H=-2JS^SQ·S^SQorNN). Our results highlight the differences in exchange coupling mediated by azulene compared to exchange coupling mediated by alternant π-systems.