Dependence of magnetic coupling on ligands at the axial positions of Ni^II in phenoxido bridged dimers: experimental observations and DFT studies

Abstract

ions. The nature of coupling (ferromagnetic for 2 and antiferromagnetic for 1 and 3) is understandable from the phenoxido bridging angles (91.27° (av. angle) for 2, 102.41° for 1 and 102.42° for 3) but it cannot explain the considerable difference of J values between 1 and 3. Other important factors such as NiO bond distances, the out-of-plane shift of phenyl rings and the hinge distortions are also of no use for a possible explanation. With the help of computational evidence, we have identified for the first time that magnetic coupling could be dramatically modified by the non-bridging axially coordinated ligands: antiferromagnetic coupling becomes considerably stronger for a neutral ligand in comparison to the negatively charged ligand. Moreover, for a negatively charged axially coordinated ligand, antiferromagnetic coupling decreases with increase in crystal field strength.