Bis(1,3-dibenzylimidazolium) μ-oxido-bis[trichloridoferrate(III)]

Abstract

In the title compound (C17H17N2)2[Fe2Cl6O], obtained from the solid-state reaction of FeCl2 and N,N′-dibenzylimidazolium chloride, the complex anion has approximate D3d symmetry with crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry coincident with the bridging μ-O atom. The stereochemistry about each FeCl3O centre is distorted tetrahedral [Fe—Cl = 2.2176 (5)–2.2427 (5) Å and Fe—O = 1.7545 (2) Å]. The Cl atoms are involved in weak anion–cation C—H...Cl interactions, giving a network structure.