title: Nanoscale self-hosting of molecular spin-states in the intermediate phase of a spin-crossover material.
abstract: A new spin-crossover (SC) complex [Fe(II)H(2)L(2-Me)][AsF(6)](2) has been synthesized, in which H(2)L(2-Me) denotes the chirogenic hexadentate N(6) Schiff-base ligand bis{[(2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene]-3-aminopropyl}ethylenediamine. This complex has revealed a rich variety of phases during its two-step thermal crossover, as well as photoinduced spin-state switching. A high-symmetry high-spin (HS, S=2) phase, a low-symmetry low-spin (LS, S=0) phase, an intermediate phase characterized by an unprecedented lozenge pattern of 12 predominantly HS molecular crystallographic sites confining 18 predominantly LS molecular crystallographic sites, and a photoinduced low-symmetry HS phase have been accurately evidenced by temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and crystallographic studies. This variety of phases illustrates the multi-stability of this system, which results from coupling between the electronic states and structural instabilities.
authors.affiliation: LCC (Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination) UPR-CNRS 8241, 205, route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bréfuel
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Collet
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Naohide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Loic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toupet
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tuchagues