A new [Ni II4] distorted cubane assembly on four solvent derived μ 3-OMe corners: Solvent dependent formation and cleavage of exogenous bridges

Abstract

A new Ni 4 distorted cubane complex [Ni 4(μ 3-OMe) 4Q 4(MeOH) 4] ( 1) (where Q − is the anion of 8-quinolinol) is obtained from the reaction of NaQ with Ni(OAc) 2 · 4H 2O in refluxing MeOH via solvent derived μ 3-OMe assisted self-assembly of four nickel(II) centres. The periphery of [Ni 4(OMe) 4] cubane is covered by four Q − and four MeOH molecules. This methanol specific reaction is not supported in solvent glycinol (Hgl; NH 2(CH 2) 2OH), an amine substituted ethanol, producing monomeric [NiQ 2(Hgl) 2] · 2H 2O ( 2 · 2H 2O) instead and is able to cleave 1 to yield 2 · 2H 2O. The cryomagnetic susceptibility data of powdered 1 can be modeled by a two J equation yielding J 1 = −1.8(1) cm −1, J 2 = 3.9(1) cm −1 and g = 2.24.