A tetranuclear cubane-like nickel(II) complex with a tridentate salicylideneimine Schiff base ligand: tetrakis[μ3-4-methyl-N-(2-oxidophenyl)salicylideneiminato]tetrakis[methanolnickel(II)] methanol 0.8-solvate

Abstract

The tetranuclear title complex, [Ni4(C14H11NO2)4(CH3OH)4]·0.8CH3OH, has a distorted cubane topology shaped by four Schiff base ligands. The cubane [Ni4(μ3-O4)] core is formed via the O atoms from the Schiff base ligands. The octahedrally coordinated NiII ions occupy alternating vertices of the cube. Each NiII ion is coordinated by one O,N,O′-tridentate dianionic ligand, two O atoms of oxidophenyl groups from adjacent ligands and the O atom of a coordinating methanol molecule. The cubane core is stabilized via an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond between the hydroxy group of the coordinating methanol molecules and the phenolate O atom of the aldehyde Schiff base fragment. Additional stabilization is obtained via intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonds involving aromatic C—H groups and the oxygen atoms of adjacent methanol molecules. In the crystal, complex molecules are linked into chains parallel to the c axis via weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds. The partial-occupancy disordered methanol solvent molecule has a site occupancy of 0.8 and is linked to the tetranuclear unit via an intermolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond involving a phenolate O atom.

Keywords

• crystal structure
• nickel cubane-like tetramers
• Schiff bases