π-Extended and Six-Coordinate Iron(II) Complexes: Structures, Magnetic Properties, and the Electrochemical Synthesis of a Conducting Iron(II) Metallopolymer

Herein, we describe the preparation of three new bidentate π-extended derivatives of the ligand N-phenyl-2-pyridinalimine (ppi) containing a 3-thienyl (4) substituent at position 4 of the aniline ring or 2-thienyl (6) or phenyl (2) substituents at each of the 2,5 positions of the aniline rings. Three iron(2+) complexes (7–9) containing these ligands were prepared by combining two equivalents each of 2, 4, or 6 with Fe(NCS)2, and the resulting neutral, six-coordinate complexes were fully characterized, including with single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments in the case of complexes 7 and 9. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer experiments confirm the presence of spin-crossover in complexes 7 and 8, and the unusual solid state variable temperature magnetic properties of complex 9 likely result from crystal packing forces. Electropolymerization of the 2,5-dithienyl-substituted complex (9) produces a conducting and electrochromic metallopolymer film (poly-9).