Synthesis, structure and spectroscopic properties of two new trinuclear nickel(II) clusters possessing solvent effect

A new Salen-type bisoxime chelating ligand, 5,5′-di(N,N′-diethylamino)-2,2′-[(1,3-propylene)dioxybis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenol (H2L), and two solvent-induced trinuclear nickel(II) clusters, [{NiL(CH3OH)}2(OAc)2Ni]·2CH3OH (I) and [{NiL(C2H5OH)}2(OAc)2Ni]·2C2H5OH (II), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, UV-vis absorption spectra, TG-DTA and X-ray diffraction methods. In cluster I (or II), there are two ligand moieties (which provide N2O2 donors), two acetate ions, two coordinated methanol (or ethanol) molecules and two crystallizing methanol (or ethanol) molecules, which result in the formation of three slightly distorted octahedral geometries around Ni(II) ions. Interestingly, nickel(II) ions in the structures of clusters I and II are all six-coordinated geometry, but clusters I and II are grown up in methanol/acetonitrile and ethanol/acetonitrile, respectively. Right because of this, solvent effect cause to their different crystal structures.