The assembly of oligonuclear nickel(II) complexes from asymmetric compartmental ligands in the presence of alkali metal salts

Abstract

On reaction with Ni(OAc) 2 and NaX the asymmetric compartmental ligand H L 2 forms a heteropentanuclear nickel(II)–sodium(I) complex in which the core is assembled from two dinuclear [Ni 2 L 2 ] units which are each linked to a Na atom by bridging μ 3-acetato-groups. If KX or NH 4X is used then a homotrinuclear nickel(II) complex is isolated. The crystal structures of [NaNi 4( L 2 ) 2(OAc) 6(MeOH) 2][ClO 4], 1, and [Ni 3( L 2 ) 2(OAc) 2(MeOH)(H 2O)][BF 4] 2, 3, are reported [H L 2 is the proligand 2-propyliminomethyl-4-methyl-6-{[methyl-bis(2-pyridin-2-yl-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-phenol].