Di-μ-benzoato-di-μ-ethanolato-tetrakis[μ3-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyl-4-(oxidomethyl)pyridin-1-ium-3-olato]tetrakis[μ3-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyl-4-(oxidomethyl)pyridin-3-olato]di-μ3-oxido-heptamanganese(II,III) ethanol octasolvate

Our work in the area of synthesis of polynuclear manganese complexes and their magnetic properties led to the synthesis and crystallization of the title compound, [Mn7(C8H9NO3)4(C8H10NO3)4(C2H5O)2(C7H5O2)2O2]·8C2H5OH. Herein, we report the molecular and crystal structure of the title compound, which was synthesized by the reaction of Mn(C6H5COO)2 with pyridoxine (PNH2, C8H11NO3) followed by the addition of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH). The core of this centrosymmetric complex is a cage-like structure consisting of six MnIII ions and one MnII ion bound together through Mn—O bonds. The compound crystallizes in hydrogen-bonded layers formed by O—H...N hydrogen bonds involving the aromatic amine group of the ligand PN2− with the neighboring O atoms from the PNH− ligand. The crystal structure has large voids present in which highly disordered solvent molecules (ethanol) sit. A solvent mask was calculated and 181 electrons were found in a volume of 843 Å3 in one void per triclinic unit cell. This is consistent with the presence of seven ethanol molecules per formula unit, which accounts for 182 electrons per unit cell. Additionally, one ethanol molecule was found to be ordered in the crystal.