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Structural dynamics upon photoexcitation in a spin crossover crystal probed with femtosecond electron diffraction

authors
Yifeng Jiang, Lai Chung Liu, Henrike M. Mueller-Werkmeister, Cheng Lu, Dongfang Zhang, Ryan L. Field, Antoine Sarracini, Gustavo Moriena, Eric Collet, and R. J. Dwayne Miller
date published
June 12, 2017
journal
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
volume, number
56 (25)
pages
7130-7134
doi
10.1002/anie.201702497
ISSN
1433-7851
abstract

Photoexcitation of spin crossover (SCO) complexes can trigger extensive electronic spin transitions and transformation of molecular structure. However, the precise nature of the associated ultrafast structural dynamics remains elusive, especially in the solid state. Here, we studied a single-crystal SCO material with femtosecond electron diffraction (FED). The unique capability of FED allows us to directly probe atomic motions and to track ultrafast structural changes within a crystal lattice. By monitoring the time-dependent changes of the Bragg reflections, we observed the formation of a photoinduced structure similar to the thermally induced high-spin state. The data and refinement calculations indicate the global structural reorganization within 2.3 ps, as the metal-ligand bond distribution narrows during intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) driving the intermolecular rearrangement. Three independent dynamical group are identified to model the structural dynamics upon photoinduced SCO.