"ligands-with-Benefits": Naphthalene-Substituted Schiff Bases Yielding New Ni^II Metal Clusters with Ferromagnetic and Emissive Properties and Undergoing Exciting Transformations

Panagiota S. Perlepe, Brock University
Luís Cunha-Silva, Universidade do Porto
Kevin J. Gagnon, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Simon J. Teat, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Christos Lampropoulos, University of North Florida
Albert Escuer, Institut de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia
Theocharis C. Stamatatos, Brock University

Abstract

The initial employment of the fluorescent bridging ligand N-naphthalidene-2-amino-5-chlorobenzoic acid (nacbH2) in metal cluster chemistry has led to new Ni12 (1) and Ni5 (2) clusters with wheel-like and molecular-chain topologies, respectively. The doubly-deprotonated nacb2- ligands were found to adopt four different coordination modes within 1 and 2. The nature of the ligand has also allowed unexpected organic transformations to occur and ferromagnetic and emission behaviors to emerge. The combined work demonstrates the ability of some "ligands-with-benefits" to yield beautiful structures with exciting topologies and interesting physicochemical properties.