A tetracobalt(II) cluster with a two vertex truncated dicubane topology endogenously supported by carboxylate-based (2-pyridyl)methylamine ligands: magneto-structural and DFT studies.

A reaction between CoCl2 and L3-(CO2−)2 (2 : 1 stoichiometry) in CH3OH affords a discrete complex [Co II4- {L3-(CO2−)2}2(μ3-OCH3)2(CH3OH)2(H2O)2Cl2] (1) [L3-(CO2−)2 = 3-[N-{2-(pyridin-2-yl)methyl}amino]-bis(propionate)]. The structure of 1 reveals two terminal mononuclear CoII{L3-(CO2−)2}Cl units connected by a dimeric Co II2 (μ3-OCH3)2(CH3OH)2(H2O) unit present in the centre through two methoxo (μ3-OCH3)- and two carboxylate (μ-1,1-OCO-) bridges affording a tetranuclear coordination cluster of Co(II) with a defective dicubane topology. In 1, Co1 (terminal) has distorted octahedral CoIIN2O3Cl and the central Co2 has CoIIO6 coordination. Such coordination arrangements afford the observed topology. Variable-temperature magnetic studies reveal anti-ferromagnetic coupling in 1. Three magnetic exchange interactions (one anti-ferromagnetic and two ferromagnetic: J1 = +3.3 cm−1 (Co⋯Co 3.176 Å; μ-1,1-OCO- and μ3-OCH3 bridges), J2 = −2.5 cm−1 (Co⋯Co 3.228 Å; μ-1-OCO- and μ3-OCH3 bridges) and J3 = +10.6 cm−1 (Co⋯Co 3.084 Å; two μ3-OCH3 bridges)) have been identified, with the inclusion of the orbital reduction parameter (α = Aκ = 1.38), spin–orbit coupling (λ = −158 cm−1) and axial distortion (energy gap Δ = −975 cm−1 between singlet and doublet levels), rationalized by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]