Bismuth(III) Complexes from Glycol and α-Hydroxycarboxylic Acids

Abstract

The reaction of Bi₂O₃ with mandelic acid (mand H₂) resulted in the 2:1 complex [(mandH)₂Bi(μ-O)Bi(mandH)₂], 1, where only the carboxylato group of the ligand is deprotonated. On the other hand, Bi₂O₃ when allowed to react with glycolic acid (glycH₂), forms the 1:1 Bi:glyc [(μ.-η²-glyc)Bi(μ₄-O)Bi(μ-η²-glyc)]∞ complex, 2, in which the ligand shows an unusual mode of bonding involving both the carboxylate oxygen and the deprotonated hydroxyl group of the glycolate; the synthesis and characterization of the ethyleneglycol (EGH₂) derivative [Bi4(μ-η^l-EGH)₂(μ₄-η²-EG)(μ₂-η²-EG)₄]∞, 3, was undertaken to support our conclusions concerning compound 2.