Hydrothermal synthesis of chiral inorganic-organic CoII complex: Structural, thermal and catalytic evaluation

Abstract

By heating the cobalt chloride hexahydrate (CoCl2·6H2O) with the R form of the organic amine α-methylbenzylamine (C8H11N) under hydro(solvo)thermal conditions, we have successfully generated the corresponding non-centrosymmetric homochiral hybrid tris (α-methylbenzylammonium tetrachloridocobaltate chloride [R-(C8H12N)3][CoCl4]Cl abbreviated R(MBA)Co. We present the growth conditions together with a characterization of the single crystals by means of X-ray single-crystal diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, TG/TDA thermal decomposition and catalytic properties. This inorganic–organic hybrid compound crystallizes in the chiral space group P21 and exhibits a supramolecular-layered organization wherein a double layer of (R)-methylbenzylammonium cations and the uncoordinated chloride anions are sandwiched between anionic layers, formed by isolated tetrachloridocobaltate tetrahedra. The crystal packing is governed by a three-dimensional network of N/CH⋯Cl hydrogen bonds between the inorganic and organic moieties and CH···π interactions between the aromatic rings of the organic moieties themselves. Thermal analysis discloses a phase transition at the temperature 130 °C. The Co complex was also employed as suitable catalyst activating the acetal formation reaction of aldehydes using MeOH as solvent and as the unique source of acetalization.