Investigating Magnetostructural Correlations in the Pseudooctahedral <i>trans</i>-[Ni^II{(OPPh₂)(EPPh₂)N}₂(sol)₂] Complexes (E = S, Se; sol = DMF, THF) by Magnetometry, HFEPR, and ab Initio Quantum Chemistry

In this work, magnetometry and high-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (HFEPR) have been employed in order to determine the spin Hamiltonian (SH) parameters of the non-Kramers, S = 1, pseudooctahedral trans-[NiII{(OPPh2)(EPPh2)N}2(sol)2] (E = S, Se; sol = DMF, THF) complexes. X-ray crystallographic studies on these compounds revealed a highly anisotropic NiO4E2 coordination environment, as well as subtle structural differences, owing to the nature of the NiII-coordinated solvent molecule or ligand E atoms. The effects of these structural characteristics on the magnetic properties of the complexes were investigated. The accurately HFEPR-determined SH zero-field-splitting (zfs) D and E parameters, along with the structural data, provided the basis for a systematic density functional theory (DFT) and multiconfigurational ab initio computational analysis, aimed at further elucidating the electronic structure of the complexes. DFT methods yielded only qualitatively useful data. However, already entry level ab initio methods yielded good results for the investigated magnetic properties, provided that the property calculations are taken beyond a second-order treatment of the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) interaction. This was achieved by quasi-degenerate perturbation theory, in conjunction with state-averaged complete active space self-consistent-field calculations. The accuracy in the calculated D parameters improves upon recovering dynamic correlation with multiconfigurational ab initio methods, such as the second-order N-electron valence perturbation theory NEVPT2, the difference dedicated configuration interaction, and the spectroscopy-oriented configuration interaction. The calculations showed that the magnitude of D (∼3–7 cm–1) in these complexes is mainly dominated by multiple SOC contributions, the origin of which was analyzed in detail. In addition, the observed largely rhombic regime (E/D = 0.16–0.33) is attributed to the highly distorted metal coordination sphere. Of special importance is the insight by this work on the zfs effects of Se coordination to NiII. Overall, a combined experimental and theoretical methodology is provided, as a means to probe the electronic structure of octahedral NiII complexes.