Structure and magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic Cu3Cl12(6)- trimer in [(NH3C2H4)3NH]2Cu3Cl14.

The crystal structure consists of a strongly hydrogen bonded network of tris(N-ethylammonium)ammonium cations, Cu3Cl12(6)- trimeric species, and Cl- anions. The Cu3Cl12(6)- trimers are formed by two distorted tetrahedral CuCl4(2)- anions linked to a central square planar CuCl4(2)- anion via semicoordinate Cu-Cl...Cu mu1 bridges. The central copper ion shows only small deviations from ideal D4h symmetry, while the terminal copper ions show a mild distortion from D2d symmetry with an average trans Cl-Cu-Cl angle of 136.0 degrees. The semicoordinate linkages provide a ferromagnetic exchange pathway between the copper ions with J/k = 6.91(3) K. Short Cl...Cl contacts (3.67-3.90 angstoms) lead to very weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the ferromagnetically coupled trimers.
(Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society)