Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Novel Tri‐nickel Cluster Possessing Different Conformational Metal Centers: Five‐ and Six‐Coordinated Geometry

A novel tri‐nickel cluster, {[NiL]₂(OAc)₂Ni}, has been synthesized by the reaction of nickel(II) acetate tetrahydrate with a novel Salen‐type bisoxime chelating ligand, 5,5′‐Di(N,N′‐diethylamino)‐2,2′‐[ethylenedioxybis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenol (H₂L). The X‐ray crystal structure of the cluster reveals that two acetate ions coordinate to three nickel ions through Ni‐O‐C‐O‐Ni bridges and quadruple μ‐phenoxo oxygen atoms from two [NiL] chelates also coordinate to nickel ion. Interestingly, the cluster possessing different conformational metal centers: five‐ and six‐coordinated geometry.

Keywords:

• 5,5′‐Di(N,N′‐diethylamino)‐2,2′‐[ethylenedioxybis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenol
• Ni(II) cluster
• synthesis
• crystal structure

This work was supported by the Foundation of the Education Department of Gansu Province (No. 0604‐01) and the “Qing Lan” Talent Engineering Funds of Lanzhou Jiaotong University (QL‐03‐01A), which are gratefully acknowledged.