Structural aspects of two-stage dimerization in an ionic C60 complex with bis(benzene)chromium: Cr(C6H6)2.C60.C6H4Cl2.

Single crystals of the ionic C60 complex with bis(benzene)chromium: {Cr(I)(C6H6)2(.+)}.(C60.-)).C6H4Cl2 (1) were obtained. The crystal structure of 1 shows the presence of monomeric C60.- radical anions at 250 K and the formation of single-bonded (C60-)2 dimers at 90 K. The dimerization is realized in two types of the C60.-) pairs with different interfullerene center-to-center distances of 10.052 and 10.279 A arranged in zigzag chains along the a-direction. As a result, two symmetrically independent (C60-)2 dimers found in 1 at 90 K have different environments, intercage C-C bond lengths and C60- center-to-center distances. Such differences should provide different thermal stability of these dimers and result in the appearance of two stages at the dimerization. Indeed, according to SQUID measurements, the magnetic moment of 1 decreases stepwise at the dimerization in two temperature ranges at 240-200 and 200-160 K.