From a square core to square opening: structural diversity and magnetic properties of the oxo-bridged [CrIIINbV] complexes

Three heterometallic oxo-bridged compounds, [Cr2(phen)4(μ-O)4Nb2(C2O4)4]·2H2O (1 ; phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline), [Cr2(terpy)2(H2O)2(μ-O)4Nb2(C2O4)4]·4H2O (2 ; terpy = 2, 2′ ; 6′, 2′′-terpyridine) and [Cr(terpy)(C2O4)(H2O)][Cr2(terpy)2(C2O4)2(μ-O)2Nb(C2O4)2]·3H2O (3), have been synthesized using a building block approach and characterized by IR spectroscopy, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, magnetization measurements, and DFT calculations. The molecular structures of 1 and 2, crystallizing in P42212 and P21/n space groups, respectively, contain a square-shaped {; ; ; ; CrIII2(μ-O)4NbV2}; ; ; ; unit, while that of complex salt 3 (P[1 with combining macron] space group) consists of a mononuclear cation containing CrIII and trinuclear anions in which two CrIII ions are bridged by a –O–NbV–O– fragment. Besides hydrogen-bonding patterns resulting in a 1D- or 3D-supramolecular arrangement in 1–3, an unusual intermolecular contact has been noticed between parallel oxalate moieties occurring due to the electrostatic attraction of electron-rich carbonyl oxygen and severely electron-depleted carbon atoms in the crystal packing of 2. The antiferromagnetic coupling observed in all three compounds, determined from magnetization measurements (J = −13.51(2), −8.41(1) and −7.44(4) cm−1 for 1, 2 and 3, respectively) and confirmed by DFT calculations, originates from two CrIII ions with spin 3/2 interacting through diamagnetic –O–NbV–O– bridge(s).