 The chemistry of four-coordinate compounds is dominated by those with either tetrahedral or square planar geometry. As such, molecules displaying the unusual see-saw geometry are considered noteworthy. Generally, see-saw geometry is observed only for main group elements. However, in our endeavor to create bis(alkoxide) complexes of the middle to late first-row transition metals, we prepared dimeric clusters of the form [M(OR)2LiCl]2 (R = CtBu2Ph, M = Cr-Co) that depict rare examples of see-saw geometry observed for first-row transition metals. This highly unusual geometry likely arises from the excessive steric bulk of the ligand coupled with superior stability of the dimeric species. The novel structure of the clusters has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography, EXAFS, and DFT calculations. The magnetic properties of these compounds were probed via the Evans method and SQUID magnetometry.

Novel cluster topologies featuring unprecedented see-saw geometry at transition metal centers

246th National Meeting (2013)

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