Synthesis and Characterization of Bis[(R or S)-N-1-(X-C(6)H(4))ethyl-2-oxo-1-naphthaldiminato-κ(2)N,O]-Λ/Δ-cobalt(II) (X = H, p-CH(3)O, p-Br) with Symmetry- and Distance-Dependent Vibrational Circular Dichroism Enhancement and Sign Inversion

[Image: see text] The enantiopure Schiff bases (R or S)-N-1-(X-C(6)H(4))ethyl-2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldimine {X = H [(R or S)-HL1], p-CH(3)O [(R or S)-HL2], and p-Br [(R- or S)-HL3]} react with cobalt(II) acetate to give bis[(R or S)-N-1-(X-C(6)H(4))ethyl-2-oxo-1-naphthaldiminato-κ(2)N,O]-Λ/Δ-cobalt(II) {X = H [Λ/Δ-Co-(R or S)-L1], p-CH(3)O [Λ/Δ-Co-(R or S)-L2], and p-Br [Λ/Δ-Co-(R or S)-L3]} (1–3), respectively. Induced Λ and Δ chirality originates at the metal center of the C(2)-symmetric molecule in pseudotetrahedral geometry. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses explored the thermal stability of the complexes, which undergo reversible phase transformation from crystalline solid to isotropic liquid phase for 1 and 3 but irreversible phase transformation for 2. Like other cobalt(II) complexes, compounds 1–3 exhibit a continuous ensemble of absorption and circular dichroism bands, which span from the UV to IR region and can be collected into a superspectrum. Infrared vibrational circular dichroism (IR-VCD) spectra witness the coupling between Co(2+)-centered low-lying electronic states and ligand-centered vibrations. The coupling produces enhanced and almost monosignate VCD spectra, with both effects being mode-dependent in terms of the A or B symmetry (in the C(2) point group) and distance from the Co(2+) core.