The reaction of Fe(ClO 4 ) 3 ·6H 2 O, 1,2-bis(biacetylmonoximeimino)ethane (H 2 bamen) and triethylamine (1:1:2 mol ratio) in methanol affords a trinuclear complex with the formula [Fe 3 (µ 3 -O)(µ 3 -bamen) 3 ]ClO 4 ·2H 2 O. The structure of the complex cation in this species shows a symmetric planar central {Fe 3 (µ 3 -O)} 7+ unit coordinated to three N 4 O 2 donor bridging (via oximate groups) ligands (bamen 2− ). The N 4 O 3 coordination sphere around each metal centre is very close to pentagonal-bipyramidal. Four N atoms of one bamen 2− and the oxo group satisfy five coordination sites and form a pentagonal plane around the metal ion. The axial sites are occupied by two oximato O atoms from the other two bamen 2− ligands. Thus, in addition to the µ 3 -oxo group, two oximate groups provide two additional bridges between each pair of metal centres. In the crystal lattice, the water molecules exist as
IntroductionTrinuclear µ 3 -oxo-bridged transition metal ion complexes have been of considerable interest for their molecular structures, magnetic properties and intramolecular electron transfer features in the mixed-valence variety. Such complexes are also useful precursors for the synthesis of higher nuclearity metal clusters. A number of complexes containing the {M 3 (µ 3 -O)} unit have been reported.[1Ϫ11] Essentially in all of them, the triangular metal ion core with the central oxo bridge is stabilised by six carboxylate groups (RCO 2 Ϫ ) and three monodentate ligands (L). In these complexes of general formula [M 3 0/ϩ , each metal ion is in a distorted octahedral coordination sphere. The O atoms of the bridging carboxylate groups constitute an O 4 square plane and the µ 3 -O and the monodentate ligand L occupy the remaining two trans sites. The central {M 3 (µ 3 -O)} core is usually planar and has close to threefold symmetry. Complexes of {M 3 (µ 3 -O)} without carboxylate ligands are very rare although a few mixed-ligand complexes of this type are known. [12,13] However, in these complexes the {M 3 (µ 3 -O)} unit is asymmetric and pyramidal. Recently, we reported a carboxylate-free trinuclear complex containing the planar and symmetric {Mn 3 (µ 3 -O)} 7ϩ core [a]