Preparation and x-ray crystal structure of racemic bis(ethylfumarate)bis(acetonitrile)cobalt(0)

The preparation and properties of some new tetracoordinated cobalt(0) complexes containing nitrile and fumaric ester ligands are described. One of them, Co(C₂H₅OOCCHCHCOOC₂H₅)₂(CH₃CN)₂, (la), reacts with 1,10-phenanthroline to give new pentacoordinated and hexacoordinated cobalt(0) complexes.The structure of Ia has been determined from X-ray diffractometer data. The structure was solved by Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by least square techniques to R  0.060 for 2215 independent reflections. Crystals are triclinic, space group P$\text{1}$, with Z  2 in a unit cell of dimensions: a 14.794(18), b 9.448(11), c 10.125(12) Å, α 108.55(9), β 111.42(11), γ 84.95(18)°. The metal is linked to the four carbon atoms of the CHCH groups of the ethyl fumarate residues and to the nitrogen atoms of the two acetonitrile ligands. The coordination of the four ligands around the cobalt atom corresponds to a distorted trigonal pyramid. The four asymmetric carbon atoms of a molecule have the same absolute configuration. RRRR and SSSS molecules are present in the unit cell.