Di-μ2-acetato-diacetato-bis-{μ2-3,3′,5, 5′-tetramethoxy-2,2-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato} tricobalt(II,III) dichloromethane disolvate

Abstract

The trinuclear title compound, [Co3(CH3COO) 4(C20H22N2O6) 2]·2CH2Cl2, contains mixed-valence cobalt ions in the following order CoIII-CoII-Co III where all the three cobalt ions are hexacoordinated. The central cobalt ion is situated on an inversion centre and is in an all-oxygen environment, coordinated by four phenolate O atoms and two O atoms from bridging acetate groups, while the terminal cobalt ion is hexacoordinated by two phenolate O atoms, two acetate O atoms and two imine N atoms. This complex contains a high-spin central CoII and two terminal low-spin Co III i.e. CoIII(S = 0)-CoII(S = 3/2)-Co III(S = 0). There are weak intermolecular C - H⋯O interactions involving the methoxy groups, as well as intermolecular C - H⋯O interactions involving the acetate anions. In addition, the dichoromethane solvate molecules are held in place by weak C - H⋯Cl interactions.