Comparative investigations on a series of [hexakis(1-(tetrazol-1-yl)alkane-N4)iron(II)] bis(tetrafluoroborate) spin crossover complexes: Methyl- to butyl-substituted species

A series of 1-(tetrazol-1-yl)alkanes [ntz] with n = 1–4 were synthesised as ligands for iron(II) spin crossover complexes. Within this series 1-(tetrazol-1-yl)butane [4tz] was prepared for the first time, whereas 1-(tetrazol-1-yl)methane [1tz], 1-(tetrazol-1-yl)ethane [2tz], 1-(tetrazol-1-yl)propane [3tz] and the [hexakis(ntz)iron(II)]bis(tetrafluoroborate) complexes were prepared according to the literature. Aiming for a comparative study we characterized all four compounds by XRPD, magnetic susceptibility measurements, 57Fe-Moessbauer spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. [Fe(4tz)6](BF4)2 yielded appropriate single crystals and an X-ray structure of the new compound [Fe(4tz)6](BF4)2 is presented. The magnetic and structural properties of all [Fe(ntz)6](BF4)2 are compared and discussed.