The crystal and molecular structure of a paramagnetic, five-co-ordinate cobalt(III) compound : {NN′-bis[α-(2-amino-5-chlorophenyl)benzylidene]-ethane-1,2-diaminato(2-)-NN′N″N‴}chlorocobalt(III)–chloroform–dichloromethane (1/0.5/0.5)

Abstract

Crystals of the title compound are monoclinic, a= 6.92(2), b= 16.19(5), c= 26.69(8)Å, β= 95.3(1)°, space group P2₁/c. A three dimensional X-ray analysis of the structure was made with counter data (1 303 independent reflections). The structure was solved by conventional Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by block-diagonal least squares to R 0.088. The [Co(N₄)Cl] co-ordination polyhedron is square pyramidal (Co–N 1.84–1.92 Å); the cobalt atom lies 0.19 Å out of the N₄ plane in the direction of the axial chlorine atom; there is an unusually long Co–Cl bond [2.507(2)Å]. The quadridentate ligand has a stepped conformation with the phenylene moieties approximately parallel and inclined at 173.9 and 172.6° to the N₄ plane; the central chelate ring has a symmetrical gauche conformation.