Unexpected formation of FeIIFeIIIFeII- and FeIIFeIIFeII-trinuclear hexapyridineoximate helicates: synchrotron single-crystal X-ray structures

Abstract

Template condensation of 2-acetylpyridineoxime with butyl ester of 1,3-propanediboronic acid in the presence of iron(II) affords a poorly separable mixture of complex products. Similar results were observed when Fe3+ ions were used for cross-linking in place of the diboronic acid. Prolonged crystallization of these mixtures gave crystals of perchlorate salts of a FeIIFeIIIFeII-trinuclear hexapyridineoximate cation and of an analogous FeIIFeIIFeII-intracomplex that crystallize with chloroform and dichloromethane solvent molecules, respectively. Both complexes were characterized by synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments. The Fe–N distances of the two ‘terminal’ iron cations are virtually the same between these trinuclear complexes and unambiguously support assignments of oxidation number +2 and low-spin state (S = 0). The centers of the FeN6 -coordination polyhedra adopt geometries resembling trigonal antiprisms with distortion angles φ of approximately 40°. The FeO6 -coordination polyhedra possess an almost ideal Oh geometry with φ close to 60°. Each of these iron(II) or iron(III) µ3 -metallocenters acts as a bifunctional Lewis acid that cross-links two pseudoclathrochelate entities, formed by the ‘terminal’ iron(II) ions, to give an almost linear (the corresponding intramolecular Fe(2)…Fe(1)…Fe(3) angles are close to 180°) helical cation or intracomplex.