Electronic structure and molecular properties of the heptacyanorhenate [Re(CN)₇]^3- and [Re(CN)₇]^4- complexes

We report scalar relativistic and Dirac scattered wave (DSW) calculations on the heptacyanorhenate [Re(CN)₇]^3- and Re(CN) ₇^4- complexes. Both the ground and lowest excited states of each complex split by spin-orbit interaction by about 0.3 eV. The calculated molecular electronegativities χ indicate that the open-shell complex is less reactive than the closed-shell complex, in agreement with experimental observations. The calculations indicate that the ground state spin density is highly anisotropic and that spin-orbit effects are responsible for the magnetic anisotropy of the molecular g tensor of the Re(CN)₇^3- complex. The calculated optical electronic transitions for both complexes with a polarizable continuum model using a time-dependent density functional (TDDFT)/B3LYP formalism are in reasonable agreement with those observed in the absorption spectrum.