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Claudio Sangregorio

Publications and source records attributed to Claudio Sangregorio.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Seeded growth of asymmetric binary nanocrystals made of a semiconductor TiO2 rodlike section and a magnetic gamma-Fe2O3 spherical domain.

Asymmetric binary nanocrystals (BNCs), comprising one c-axis elongated anatase TiO2 section and one gamma-Fe2O3 spherical domain attached together, are synthesized by heterogeneous nucleation of iron oxide onto the longitudinal facets of TiO2 nanorods in a ternary surfactant mixture. The topologically controlled composition of the BNCs is ascertained by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction, Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy, high-angle annular dark-field imaging, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy lattice fringe mapping, while their size-dependent magnetic behavior is demonstrated by ac susceptibility measurements. The heteroepitaxial growth proceeds through a mechanism never observed before for colloidal nanoheterostructures: the two domains share a restricted and locally curved junction region, which accommodates efficiently the interfacial strain and retards the formation of misfit dislocations. It is believed that these BNCs, which combine the properties of two technologically relevant oxide materials, can pave the way to reinforced applications in several fields of nanoscience, such as in photocatalysis, in malignant cell treatments, and in nanocrystal assembly.

Crystallization↗

Structural and magnetic properties of pure and Ca-doped LaCoO3 nanopowders obtained by a sol-gel route.

Pure and Ca-doped LaCoO3 nanopowders were prepared by a non-alkoxidic sol-gel route using cobalt(II) acetate, lanthanum(III) nitrate and calcium(II) acetate as oxide precursors. The structural evolution and magnetic properties of the samples were studied as a function of thermal treatments in air up to 1273 K. In particular, the microstructure and composition of the systems were analyzed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Both pure and calcium-doped samples annealing at 973 K resulted in the formation of cubic LaCoO3 (average crystallite size <30 nm). This phase was fully retained in the calcium-doped materials even after annealing at higher temperatures, whereas a transition to the rhomboedral polymorph was detected in the pure samples at 1073 K. The magnetic behavior of the nanopowders was investigated as a function of temperature and applied field using both dynamic and static susceptibility measurements. Pure lanthanum cobaltite samples underwent a transition to an ordered state at 88 K, and their magnetic properties changed as a function of thermal treatments. As concerns calcium-doped samples, they ordered ferromagnetically at 171 and 185 K depending on the annealing temperature and displayed open hysteresis loops with coercive fields as large as 1.75 T at low temperatures.

Calcium↗

Dinuclear ruthenium bipyridine complexes with a bis(iminodioxolene)-meta-phenylene ligand: magnetic coupling and mixed valence character of the semiquinonato species.

The dinuclear bis-iminosemiquinonato [Ru(bpy)(2)(L)(2)Ru(bpy)(2)](PF(6))(2) complex where L is the deprotonated form of N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-phenylenediamine (H(4)L), has been synthesised. For comparison purposes, the mononuclear iminosemiquinonato [Ru(bpy)(2)L']PF(6) formed by the N-phenyl-o-aminophenol (H(2)L') was also investigated. Magnetic investigation evidences that the bis-semiquinonato species is characterised by a moderately strong ferromagnetic interaction (H=JS(1) x S(2), J=-85(5) cm(-1)). This result is the theoretically expected one and it is contrasting with the antiferromagnetic interaction observed in previously investigated complexes containing the same ligand. It is suggested that the different behaviour is determined by the different coordination requirements occurring in these complexes. The spectroelectrochemical analysis provides a clear evidence of the valence trapped character of the mono-semiquinonato forms of the ligand. The two mixed valence semiquinonato species containing the quinonato-semiquinonato and semiquinonato-catecholato bridging ligand can be described as class II, but show a significantly different electronic coupling. The electronic factors determining this behaviour are discussed.

Aminophenols↗

Quinonoid metal complexes: toward molecular switches.

The peculiar redox-active character of quinonoid metal complexes makes them extremely appealing to design materials of potential technological interest. We show here how the tuning of the properties of these systems can be pursued by using appropriate molecular synthetic techniques. In particular, we focus our attention on metal polyoxolene complexes exhibiting intramolecular electron transfer processes involving either the ligand and the metal ion or the two dioxolene moieties of a properly designed ligand thus inducing electronic bistability. The transition between the two metastable electronic states can be induced by different external stimuli such as temperature, pressure, light, or pH suggesting the use of these systems for molecular switches.

Journal Article↗

Crystal and molecular structure and magnetic exchange properties of bis(di-micro-ethoxo-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsemiquinonato)dicopper(II)) complex. A synergy between DFT and experimental magnetochemistry.

The compound bis(di-micro-ethoxo-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsemiquinonato)dicopper(II)) has been synthesized and its structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group C2/c, with a = 37.736(8) A, b = 9.173(2) A, c = 23.270(5) A, beta = 122.24(3) degrees. The structure can be described as a Lewis adduct between two dinuclear [Cu(DBSQ)(C(2)H(5)O)](2) units (DBSQ = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-semiquinonato). The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility was efficiently analyzed by a combined DFT/experimental approach, showing that a rather strong ferromagnetic interaction exists between the DBSQ(-) and the copper(II) ions modulated by an antiferromagnetic interaction between the two copper(II) ions of the dinuclear units. Weak antiferromagnetism between the two units in the unit cell was measured.

Journal Article↗

Structural study of the thermal and photochemical spin states in the spin crossover complex [Fe(phen)2(NCSe)2].

The first structural data for [Fe(phen)(2)(NCSe)(2)] (obtained using the extraction method of sample preparation) in its high-spin, low-spin and LIESST induced metastable high-spin states have been recorded using synchrotron radiation single crystal diffraction. The space group for all of the spin states was found to be Pbcn. On cooling from the high-spin state (HS-1) at 292 K through the spin crossover at about 235 K to the low-spin state at 100 K (LS-1) the iron coordination environment changed to a more regular octahedral geometry and the Fe-N bond lengths decreased by 0.216 and 0.196 A (Fe-N(phen)) and 0.147 A (Fe-N(CSe)). When the low-spin state was illuminated with visible light at about 26 K, the structure of this LIESST induced metastable high-spin state (HS-2) was very similar to that of HS-1 with regards to the Fe-phen bond lengths, but there were some differences in the bond lengths in the Fe-NCSe unit between HS-1 and HS-2. When HS-2 was warmed in the dark to 50 K, the resultant low-spin state (LS-2) had an essentially identical structure to LS-1. In all spin states, all of the shortest intermolecular contacts (in terms of van der Waals radii) involved the NCSe ligand, which may be important in describing the cooperativity in the solid state. The quality of the samples was confirmed by magnetic susceptibility and IR measurements.

Journal Article↗

Temperature-induced solid-state valence tautomeric interconversion in two cobalt-Schiff base diquinone complexes.

The mixed-ligand complexes [Co(III)(tpy)(Cat-N-SQ)]Y and [Ni(II)(tpy)(Cat-N-BQ)]PF(6) (tpy = 2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine; Cat-N-BQ, Cat-N-SQ = mononegative and radical dinegative Schiff base diquinone ligand; Y = PF(6), BPh(4)) were prepared. Structural and spectroscopic data support the different charge distribution of the two compounds. The temperature-dependent electronic and spectral properties of solutions containing the [Co(III)(tpy)(Cat-N-SQ)](+) suggest that this compound undergoes a thermally driven valence tautomeric interconversion to [Co(II)(tpy)(Cat-N-BQ)](+) complex, the metal ion being in high-spin configuration. The comparison of the electrochemical properties of the cobalt and nickel derivatives supports the observed behavior. The same interconversion process was found to occur also in the solid state with a significant higher T(c) value than in solution. It was found that the previously reported [Co(III)(Cat-N-BQ)(Cat-N-SQ)] shows a similar behavior. The large difference between the interconversion T(c) in the solid state and in solution is suggested to come from the entropy changes associated with the modifications of vibronic interactions.

Journal Article↗

Magnetism of cyano-bridged hetero-one-dimensional Ln3+-M3+ complexes (Ln3+ = Sm, Gd, Yb; M3+ = FeLS, Co).

The reaction of Ln(NO(3))(3).aq with K(3)[Fe(CN)(6)] or K(3)[Co(CN)(6)] and 2,2'-bipyridine in water led to five one-dimensional complexes: trans-[M(CN)(4)(mu-CN)(2)Ln(H(2)O)(4) (bpy)](n)().XnH(2)O.1.5nbpy (M = Fe(3+) or Co(3+); Ln = Sm(3+), Gd(3+), or Yb(3+); X = 4 or 5). The structures for [Fe(3)(+)-Sm(3+)] (1), [Fe(3)(+)-Gd(3+)] (2), [Fe(3)(+)-Yb(3+)] (3), [Co(3)(+)-Gd(3+)] (4), and [Co(3)(+)-Yb(3+)] (5) have been solved; they crystallize in the triclinic space P1 and are isomorphous. The [Fe(3+)-Sm(3+)] complex is a ferrimagnet, its magnetic studies suggesting the onset of weak ferromagnetic 3-D ordering at 3.5 K. The [Fe(3+)-Gd(3+)] interaction is weakly antiferromagnetic. The isotropic nature of Gd(3+) allowed us to evaluate the exchange interaction (J = 0.77 cm(-)(1)).

Journal Article↗

Bonding coordination requirements induce antiferromagnetic coupling between m-phenylene bridged o-iminosemiquinonato diradicals.

Triply bridged bis-iminodioxolene dinuclear metal complexes of general formula M(2)(diox-diox)(3), with M = Co, Fe, have been synthesized using the bis-bidentate ligand N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-phenylenediamine. These complexes were characterized by means of X-ray, HF-EPR, and magnetic measurements. X-ray structures clearly show that both complexes can be described as containing three bis-iminosemiquinonato ligands acting in a bis-bidentate manner toward tripositive metal ions. The magnetic data show that both of these complexes have singlet ground states. The observed experimental behavior indicates the existence of intraligand antiferromagnetic interactions between the three pairs of m-phenylene units linked iminosemiquinonato radicals (J = 21 cm(-)(1) for the cobalt complex and J = 11 cm(-)(1) for the iron one). It is here suggested that the conditions for the ferromagnetic coupling that is expected to characterize the free diradical ligand are no longer satisfied because of the severe torsional distortion induced by the metal coordination.

Journal Article↗