Magnetic and liquid crystalline property of long-alkyl chain appended iron (II) imidazole complexes

• Fe[((py)im-C16)3](BF4)2 and Fe[((py)imH)3](BF4)2 [(py)imH = 2-(2-pyridyl)imidazole] have been synthesized.
• Fe[((py)im-C16)3](BF4)2 exhibits the liquid crystalline property.
• Fe[((py)im-C16)3](BF4)2 exists only in low spin state.
• Fe[((py)imH)3](BF4)2 exhibits gradual spin crossover behavior.

Fe[((py)im-C16)3](BF4)2 (1) and Fe[((py)imH)3](BF4)2 (2), the Iron(II) compounds with C16 long alkyl chain appended (py)imH and unmodified (py)imH [(py)imH = 2-(2-pyridyl)imidazole] have been synthesized and characterized by NMR, IR spectra and elemental analysis. For containing C16 long alkyl chain, complex 1 exhibits the liquid crystalline property around room temperature. The magnetic study suggests that 1 exists only in low spin state but 2 exhibits gradual spin crossover behavior. These observation suggests the possibility for synchronizing liquid crystallinity and spin crossover behavior of (py)imH complex in near future.

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