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Spectroscopy

Wide-band TA maps an Fe(II) four-state cascade

Wegeberg C, Sidhu BK, Chábera P, et al. · Chemical science · 2026

Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC

Femtosecond TA from 370–1200 nm resolves 1PALCT → 3PALCT → 3MC → 5MC decay in an iron amido chromophore, including a ~100 fs NIR CT signature.

Study at a glance

Design
Other — Wide-band ultrafast spectroscopy of Fe amido chromophores resolving PALCT→MC cascade
N
Photophysics of molecular Fe complexes — no sample N
Population
Iron amido chromophores in toluene
Outcome
Consecutive excited-state lifetimes from PALCT through high-spin MC states

Structured fields used in claim comparison tables when every cited study has a complete layer.

Key findings

NIR ESA (800–1200 nm) marks PALCT and decays in ~100 fs into a nanosecond 5MC (~3.5 ns). Faster ~50 fs ISC (1PALCT → 3PALCT) precedes that. An isosbestic point at 545 nm (175–325 fs) is assigned to 3MC → 5MC (~250 fs). Coherent Raman modes at 60, 80, and 110 cm–1 appear. High-spin analogue absorbs at 470 nm (ε = 23 600 M–1 cm–1).

Methodology

They pumped (CF3L1)2Fe in toluene at 600 nm and probed 370–1200 nm with ~100 fs IRF, using polarization control and 100 µm cells. High-spin (CF3L2)2Fe and spectroelectrochemistry modeled 5MC and PALCT spectra. Global fits extracted oscillations and sequential lifetimes.

Limitations

The ~50 fs ISC is near the IRF, so the number is an estimate. The four-state model assumes no ground-state recovery before 5MC. Only toluene solutions of two related complexes are measured, not devices or other metals.

How this study connects

Role on claims

Each row is a claim on a concept or method page where this paper supports, challenges, or qualifies the statement. Roles are hand-checked — not a model guess.

  • SupportsSpectroscopyconcept

    This library holds 9 empirical chemistry papers on spectroscopy with isolated findings, rates or spectra rather than reviews.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsSpectroscopyconcept

    Femtosecond TA from 370–1200 nm resolves 1PALCT → 3PALCT → 3MC → 5MC decay in an iron amido chromophore, including a ~100 fs NIR CT signature.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsSpectroscopyconcept

    A colour change or a peak assignment is not a full structural proof; many sensors work only in a calibrated matrix.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsUV-Vis Spectroscopymethod

    Wide-band transient absorption can resolve a four-state Fe(II) cascade that a steady-state colour cannot. Pumping (CF₃L1)₂Fe in toluene at 600 nm (IRF ~100 fs) shows NIR ESA (800–1200 nm) for PALCT decaying in ~100 fs into a nanosecond ⁵MC (~3.5 ns), with ~50 fs ¹PALCT → ³PALCT ISC (near the IRF, so an estimate) and an isosbestic at 545 nm assigned to ³MC → ⁵MC (~250 fs). The high-spin analogue absorbs at 470 nm with ε = 23 600 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsUV-Vis Spectroscopymethod

    Absorption near 400 nm is not one phenomenon. GSH and glycerol silver papers read it as a plasmon that tracks particle size; the titanyl paper reads a Ti–peroxo charge-transfer colour for an H₂O₂ LOD; ProCharTS reads a weak protein CT tail (ε hundreds M⁻¹ cm⁻¹) out to 800 nm; the Fe paper needs 370–1200 nm transient spectra to assign PALCT versus ⁵MC. A student who says 'the UV-vis peak proved it' has not chosen among those assignments.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsUV-Vis Spectroscopymethod

    Steady-state SPR and femtosecond transient absorption are different UV-vis experiments. Glycerol content or stirring time shift a plasmon over minutes to days; the Fe cascade's ~50 fs ISC is already near the instrument response. You cannot transplant an SPR size calibration onto a molecular four-state kinetic model.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

Open questions

Tensions this paper is part of

From concept pages' “where studies disagree.” Disagreement means the same question; scope means different assays, populations, or outcomes.

  • Scope difference — different assays, populations, or outcomes

    SupportsSpectroscopy

    A colour change or a peak assignment is not a full structural proof; many sensors work only in a calibrated matrix.

    Also on this tension

  • Scope difference — different assays, populations, or outcomes

    Absorption near 400 nm is not one phenomenon. GSH and glycerol silver papers read it as a plasmon that tracks particle size; the titanyl paper reads a Ti–peroxo charge-transfer colour for an H₂O₂ LOD; ProCharTS reads a weak protein CT tail (ε hundreds M⁻¹ cm⁻¹) out to 800 nm; the Fe paper needs 370–1200 nm transient spectra to assign PALCT versus ⁵MC. A student who says 'the UV-vis peak proved it' has not chosen among those assignments.

  • Scope difference — different assays, populations, or outcomes

    Steady-state SPR and femtosecond transient absorption are different UV-vis experiments. Glycerol content or stirring time shift a plasmon over minutes to days; the Fe cascade's ~50 fs ISC is already near the instrument response. You cannot transplant an SPR size calibration onto a molecular four-state kinetic model.

    Also on this tension

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