Cover Feature: Radical Complexes of Nickel(II)/Copper(II) and Redox Non‐innocent MB‐DIPY Ligands: Unusual Stability and Strong Near‐Infrared Absorption at λmax ∼1300 nm (Chem. Eur. J. 41/2022)

Abstract

The preparation of radicals with intense and redox-switchable absorption beyond 1000 nm is a long-standing challenge in the chemistry of functional dyes. We now report a series of unprecedented stable neutral nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of “Manitoba-dipyrromethenes” (MB-DIPYs) in which the organic chromophore is present in the anion–radical state. The new stable radicals have an intense absorption at λmax∼1300 nm and can be either oxidized to a regular [MII(MB-DIPY)]+ (M = Cu or Ni) or reduced to [MII(MB-DIPY)]− compounds. More information can be found in the Research Article by F. Thomas, J. van Lierop, V. N. Nemykin, and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/chem.202201181).