Diversity of carboxylate binding in a new tetranuclear zinc cluster: correlation between spectroscopic investigations and carboxylate binding modes

Abstract

A new tetranuclear ZnII4 cluster has been prepared and characterized by exploiting the flexibility, chelating ability and bridging potential of a carboxylate rich μ-bis(tetradentate) ligand. The acetate and benzoate functionalities of the ligand display both monodentate terminal and syn–anti bidentate bridging binding modes in the cluster. The binding modes of carboxylate have been investigated by a combined approach of X-ray crystallography, FTIR, solution and solid state 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques.