The role of diisopropanolamine (dipaH3) in cluster dimerisation and polymerisation: from spin frustrated S= 5 FeIII 6 clusters to the novel 1-D covalent polymer of mixed valence [CoII3CoIII] tetramers

The synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties of two hexanuclear Fe(6) clusters of general formula Fe(6)(O)(2)(OH)(2)(O(2)CR)(10)(dipaH(2))(2)].xMeCN.yH(2)O (R = Ph, x= 5.5, y= 1 (1), R = C(Me)(3), x= 2, y= 3 (2)) are reported. The presence of the flexible amino-alcohol ligand diisopropanolamine (dipaH(3)) induces the dimerisation of two trinuclear Fe(III) complexes, Fe(3)O(O(2)CPh)(6)(H(2)O)(3)](NO(3)) and Fe(3)O(O(2)CC(Me)(3))(6)(H(2)O)(3)](O(2)CC(Me)(3)), to form the hexanuclear clusters 1 and 2. DC magnetic susceptibility measurements on 1 and 2 assign ground spin states of S= 5, with zero-field splitting parameters (D) of ca. 0.25 cm(-1) obtained from magnetisation isotherms. AC susceptibilities showed no maxima as a function of frequency, at low temperatures, and this confirmed the lack of single-molecule magnetic behaviour. Clusters 1 and 2 are isostructural, consisting of two fused {Fe(3)O} trinuclear units, bridged in two positions by one mu(2)-OH(-) unit and two mu(2)-O(2)CR(-) bridging carboxylates (R = Ph (), C(Me)(3)()). The two singly deprotonated dipaH(2)(-) bridging ligands span the Fe1-Fe2 edges in and via one micro(2)-bridging alcohol arm and one terminal nitrogen atom while the second alcohol arm remains free. The ground spin state of S= 5 in 1 and 2 can be attributed to the presence of spin frustration within the system. 1 and 2 join a small family of spin frustrated S= 5 Fe(6) systems the magnetism of which give weight to a recent report that it is the trans position of the two shortest Fe(2) pair frustrated exchange pathways in these Fe(6) clusters that gives rise to a ground spin state of S= 5 (trans) and not a ground spin state of S= 0 (cis). The M?ssbauer spectra of 1 and 2 show two quadrupole doublets, as expected, at 295 K, but a broad asymmetric lineshape at 77 K. The synthesis and magnetic properties of {Co(II)(3)Co(III)(OH)(O(2)CC(Me)(3))(4)(HO(2)CC(Me)(3))(2)(dipaH)(2)].2MeCN}(n)(3) are reported. 3 is a covalently bonded 1D polymer of tetrameric cobalt clusters. The presence of the dipaH(3) ligand here not only dimerises the Co(II)(2)(micro-H(2)O)(O(2)CC(Me)(3))(4)(HO(2)CC(Me)(3))(4)] starting complex into the tetranuclear species but also polymerises the Co(II)(3)Co(III)] clusters in 3 by acting as the propagating ligand in the 1D chain. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on show each Co(4)] moiety exhibits weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the three Co(II)S= 3/2 metal centres and fitted J values are given. The ambiguity in assignment of the spin ground state of S= 1/2 or 3/2 is discussed.