Reactions and X-ray crystal structure of (3-cyano-2,4-pentanedionato-N)pentaamminecobalt(III) perchlorate chloride dihydrate

The pentaamminecobalt(III) complex with the 3-cyano-2,4-pentanedionate anion coordinated through the nitrile nitrogen has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The crystals of (NH₃)₅CoNCacac](Cl)(ClO₄)·2H₂O are triclinic, space group P , a = 10.245(2) Å, b = 14.071(4) Å, c = 6.971(2) Å, = 90.03(3)°, β = 109.86(2)°, γ = 108.91(2)°, V= 887.1 ų, Z = 2, D_c = 1.64 g cm^?3, F(000) = 456, Mo-K radiation, λ = 0.71069 Å, μ(Mo-K) = 12.7 cm^?1. The structure was determined by the heavy-atom method, and refined by block-diagonal least-squares calculations, R = 0.0537, R_w = 0.0607, for 2499 observed reflections. Principal dimensions are: Co---N(NH₃) trans to NCacac^? 1.940(5), other Co---N(NH₃) 1.967(2), Co---N(NCacac^?) 1.911(5) Å. The pendant acac moiety is best described in terms of a delocalized bond network with, for example, C---C distances in the range 1.44–1.52(1) Å. Several reactions involving this free acac group are also described including the preparation and characterization of the dimeric species pentaamminecobalt(III) - μ - (3 - cyano - 2,4 - pentanedionato) - bis(propylenediamine) cobalt(III) perchlorate.