Family of cofacial bimetallic complexes of a hexaanionic carboxamide cryptand.

A series of coordination compounds has been prepared comprising manganese, iron, nickel, and zinc bound by a hexaanionic cryptand where carboxamides are anionic N-donors. The metal complexes have been investigated by X-ray crystallography, and possess metal centers in trigonal monopyramidal geometries with intermetallic distances spanning d(Mn,avg) = 6.080 Å to d(Ni,avg) = 6.495 Å. All complexes featuring trigonal monopyramidal metal(II) ions crystallize in Cc, and feature extended three-dimensional networks composed of cryptate anions linked by bridging potassium countercations. We also report the first solid state structure of the free cryptand ligand, which features no guest in its cavity and which possesses an extended hydrogen-bonding network. SQuID magnetometry data of the metal complexes reveal weak antiferromagnetic coupling of the metal centers. Only the diiron(II) complex exhibits reversible electrochemistry, and correspondingly, its chemical oxidation yields a powder formulated as the diiron(III) congener. The insertion of cyanide into the intermetallic cleft of the diiron(II) complex has been achieved, and comparisons of its solid state structure to the recently reported dicobalt(II) analogue are made. The antiferromagnetic coupling between the diiron(II) and the dicobalt(II) centers when bridged by cyanide does not increase significantly relative to the unbridged congeners. A one-site model satisfactorily fits Mössbauer spectra of unbridged diiron(II) and diiron(III) complexes whereas a two site fit was needed to model the iron(II) centers that are bridged by cyanide.