Bis-bipyridine ligands in cobalt carboxylate cluster chemistry: a mixed-valence (4CoII, 4COIII) complex with a face-sharing, triple-cubane structure

Abstract

Addition of aqueous H₂O₂ to a solution of Co(O₂C-Me)₂·4H₂O and L [L = 1,2-bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-6-yl)ethane] in a 3 : 1 molar ratio, followed by addition of LiClO₄, allows isolation of [Co₈O₄(OH)₄(O₂CMe)₆L₂](ClO₄)₂1 which contains 4Co^II, 4Co^III; the core comprises three face-sharing cubane units, and magnetic susceptibility studies confirm the paramagnetic nature of the compound and the presence of high-spin Co^II ions.