Six nickel tiara-like clusters, cyclo-ijNiIJμ-EDT)] 5 (1), cyclo-{[NiIJμ-SiPe) 2 ] 6 } (2), cyclo-ijNi 6 IJμ-StBu) 4 IJμ-EDT) 4 ](3), cyclo-ijNi 6 IJμ-StBu) 4 IJμ-PDT) 4 ] (4), cyclo-ijNi 6 IJμ-SPh) 4 IJμ-EDT) 4 ] (5) and cyclo-ijNi 6 IJμ-SPh) 4 IJμ-PDT) 4 ] (6) (StBu = 2-methyl-2-propanethiol, EDT = 1,2-ethanedithiol, PDT = 1,3-propanedithiol, SiPe = isopentylthiol, SPh = thiophenol have been successfully synthesized and characterized. All the clusters were derived from a designed preparation by a direct synthetic route involving reactions of NiIJClO 4 ) 2 with mixed thiolate or disulfide ligands which have discrepancy in their coordination ability. Intriguingly, cluster 1 is an infrequent pentanuclear tiara. Clusters 3 and 4 are hexanuclear tiaras with two different types of mono and bidentate aliphatic thiolates. Clusters 5 and 6 exhibit similar structures with monoaromatic thiolate and bidentate aliphatic thiolate ligands. The -SPh ligands were generated from an in situ reaction of the disulfide precursor through cleavage of the S-S bond. These heretofore unknown additions to the cyclo-ijNiIJμ-SR) 2 ] n tiara family are of particular interest, which are often constructed by just one kind of thiolate ligand.
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