Tetrakis(μ₃-2-{[1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-oxidoethyl]iminomethyl}-6-nitrophenolato)tetracopper(II)

Abstract

The title cluster, [Cu4(C11H12N2O6)4], was obtained from the Cu0–FeCl2·4H2O–H4 L–Et3N–DMF reaction system (in air), where H4 L is 2-hy­droxy­methyl-2{[(2-hy­droxy-3-nitro­phen­yl)methyl­idene]amino}­propane-1,3-diol and DMF is di­methyl­formamide. The asymmetric unit consists of one Cu2+ ion and one dianionic ligand; a -4 symmetry element generates the cluster, which contains a {Cu4O4} cubane-like core. The metal ion has an elongated square-based pyramidal CuNO4 coordination geometry with the N atom in a basal site. An intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed. The solvent mol­ecules were found to be highly disordered and their contribution to the scattering was removed with the SQUEEZE procedure in PLATON [Spek (2009 ▶). Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155], which indicated a solvent cavity of volume 3131 Å3 containing approximately 749 electrons. These solvent molecules are not considered in the given chemical formula.