Multidentate aryloxide and oxo-aryloxide complexes of antimony: synthesis and structural characterization of [eta4-N(o-C6H4O)3]Sb(OSMe2), {{[eta3-N(o-C6H4OH)- (o-C6H4O)2]Sb}2(mu2-O)}2 and {[eta3-PhN(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}4(mu3-O)2

Antimony compounds that feature multidentate aryloxide ligands, namely [eta4-N(o-C6H4O)3]Sb(OSMe2), {{[eta3-N(o-C6H4OH)(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}2(mu2-O)}2, and {[eta3-PhN(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}4(mu3-O)2 have been synthesized from N(o-C6H4OH)3 and PhN(o-C6H4OH)2 and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. While [eta4-N(o-C6H4O)3]Sb(OSMe2) exists as a discrete mononuclear species, the oxo complexes {{[eta3-N(o-C6H4OH)(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}2(mu2-O)}2 and {[eta3-PhN(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}4(micro3-O)2 are multinuclear. Specifically, the dinuclear fragment {[eta3-N(o-C6H4OH)(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}2(mu2-O)} exists in a dimeric form due to the bridging oxo ligand participating in an intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction, while the dinuclear fragment {[eta3-PhN(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}2(mu-O) exists in a dimeric form due to the bridging oxo ligand serving as a donor to the antimony of a second fragment. The structures of {{[eta3-N(o-C6H4OH)(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}2(mu2-O)}2 and {[eta3-PhN(o-C6H4O)2]Sb}4(mu3-O)(2), therefore, indicate that an oxo ligand bridging two Sb(III) centers is sufficiently electron rich to serve as both an effective hydrogen bond acceptor and as a ligand for an additional Sb(III) center.