Solvent-induced structural transformation from heptanuclear to decanuclear [Co–Ln] coordination clusters: trapping of unique counteranion and understanding of aggregation pathways

Basak, D., Regincos Marti, E., Murrie, M. , Nemec, I. and Ray, D. (2021) Solvent-induced structural transformation from heptanuclear to decanuclear [Co–Ln] coordination clusters: trapping of unique counteranion and understanding of aggregation pathways. Dalton Transactions, 50(27), pp. 9574-9588. (doi: 10.1039/D1DT01278A) (PMID:34160479)

Abstract

Five new cobalt(II/III)–lanthanide(III)-based coordination aggregates, [LnIII3CoII2CoIII2(L1)2(O2CCMe3)8(OH)4(OMe)2(H2O)4]·Ln(η1-O2CCMe3)2(η2-O2CCMe3)2(MeOH)2·2MeOH·2H2O (where Ln = Tb (1), Ho (3), and H2L1 = N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-salicylaldimine), TbIII3CoII3CoIII4(L1)4(O2CCMe3)9(OH)10(H2O) (4) and LnIII3CoII2CoIII5(L1)4(O2CCMe3)10(OH)10 (Ln = Dy (5), Ho (6)) have been synthesized and characterized, including structural analysis via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The dysprosium analogue (2) of 1 and 3 was previously reported by us. The heptanuclear monocationic clusters in 1 and 3 were formed by placement of seven metal ions (4 Co and 3 Ln) in a vertex shared dicubane structure from the control of two Schiff base anions and crystallized in the presence of in situ generated and literature unknown counter anions Tb(η1-O2CCMe3)2(η2-O2CCMe3)2(MeOH)2− and Ho(η1-O2CCMe3)2(η2-O2CCMe3)2(MeOH)2−. Interesting solvent-induced cluster structure transformation was observed on dissolving the heptanuclear aggregates in MeCN for the formation of decanuclear clusters 4–6. These high nuclearity clusters consist of a vertex shared heptanuclear dicubane part and a curved trinuclear chain linking the two cubic halves. The dicubane unit differs from that of the heptanuclear precursors in the presence of CoII/III at the shared vertex as opposed to LnIII and the absence of OMe− bridges. HRMS (+ve) analysis shed light on the pathway of formation of these heptanuclear molecules, while at the same time revealing a different aggregation process for the decanuclear clusters.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Regincos Marti, Miss Emma and Murrie, Professor Mark
• Authors: Basak, D., Regincos Marti, E., Murrie, M., Nemec, I., and Ray, D.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: Dalton Transactions
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• ISSN: 1477-9226
• ISSN (Online): 1477-9234
• Published Online: 22 June 2021