Issue 11, 2022

Co-crystallisation as a modular approach to the discovery of spin-crossover materials

Abstract

Herein we present co-crystallisation as a strategy for materials discovery in the field of switchable spin crossover (SCO) systems. Using [Fe(3-bpp)2]·2A (where 3-bpp = 2,6-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine, A = BF4/PF6) as a starting point, a total of 11 new cocrystals have been synthesised with five different dipyridyl coformers. Eight of these systems show spin crossover behaviour, and all show dramatically different switching properties from the parent complex. The cocrystals have been studied by variable temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction and SQUID magnetometry to develop structure–property relationships. The supramolecular architecture of the cocrystals depends on the properties of the coformer. With linear, rigid coformer molecules leading to 1D supramolecular hydrogen-bonded chains, while flexible coformers form 2D sheets and bent coformers yield 3D network structures. The SCO behaviour of the cocrystals can be modified through changing the coformer and thus co-crystallisation presents a rapid, facile and highly modular tool for the discovery of new switchable materials. The wider applicability of this strategy to the design of hybrid multifunctional materials is also discussed.

Graphical abstract: Co-crystallisation as a modular approach to the discovery of spin-crossover materials

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
07 Sept. 2021
Accepted
16 Febr. 2022
First published
18 Febr. 2022
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 3176-3186

Co-crystallisation as a modular approach to the discovery of spin-crossover materials

L. T. Birchall, G. Truccolo, L. Jackson and H. J. Shepherd, Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 3176 DOI: 10.1039/D1SC04956A

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