Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Tetranuclear Zinc(II) Complex Derived from 2-{[1-(4-Diethylamino-2-hydroxy- phenyl)methylidene]amino}-2-ethylpropane-1,3-diol.

A novel tetranuclear zinc(II) complex, [Zn4L4]·2H2O, has been synthesized from a Schiff base ligand 2-{[1-(4-diethylamino-2-hy- droxyphenyl)methylidene]amino}-2-ethylpropane-1,3-diol (H2L). The structure of the complex was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal belongs to the tetragonal system, space groupI41/awitha=b= 16.2579(1),c= 26.6376(3) Å,V= 7040.83(10) Å3,Z= 4,Dc= 1.384 g/cm3,Mr= 1467.00,μ= 2.080 mm–1,F(000) = 3088,R= 0.0499, andwR= 0.1516. A total of 3,429 unique reflections were collected, of which 2,923 withI> 2σ(I) were observed. The complex possesses crystallographic two-fold rotation axis symmetry, with the axis passes through the two water molecules and the centre of the cubane core formed by the four Zn atoms. Each Zn atom is penta-coordinated in a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The adjacent Zn···Zn distances are 3.065(1) and 3.163(1) Å. In the crystal, the tetranuclear zinc complex molecules are linked by water molecules through intermolecular O–H···O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to thebcplane. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition ofSynthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic, Metal-Organic, and Nano-Metal Chemistryto view the supplemental file. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]