Coordination sphere geometry of tris(acetylacetonato)metal(II) complexes: the crystal and molecular structure of tris(1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetonato)iron(III)

Abstract

The molecular structure of tris(1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetonato)iron(III) has been determined by single-crystal diffractometry. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2 1/c with cell dimension of a = 9.054(7), b = 13.424(5), c = 21.591(16) Å and β = 116.71(2)° ( Z = D m = 1.90 g cm −3, D x = 1.917 g cm −3. A comparison of its coordination sphere geometry with that of tris(acetylacetonato)Fe(III) revealed no significant differences thus strongly suggesting that the coordination sphere geometry of tris(acac)metal(III) complexes is primarily determined by the electronic configuration of the metal ion. Significant bending distortions to the chelate rings and the trifluoromethyl groups are attributed to crystal packing forces.