Synthesis, crystal structure and thermal behavior of a new molybdenum-oxygen cluster: [Ni(en)3]2(H3BO3)(MoO4)2·(6H2O)

A new molybdenum-oxygen cluster: [Ni(en)3]2(H3BO3)(MoO4)2·(6H2O) containing interstitial boric acid has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR spectroscopy and DTA-TG. Its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The title compound crystallizes in a trigonal system and space group P3¯ with a = b = 9.3271 (8) Å, c = 12.543 (2) Å, α = β = 90°, γ = 120°, V = 945.0 (2) Å3, Z = 1, Dc = 1.701 g/cm3. The structure consists of two MoO42− tetrahedra clusters, two [Ni(en)3]2+ octahedra clusters and one H3BO3 unit, in which these clusters are absolute and self-assemble via NH⋯O and OH⋯O hydrogen bonds to form a wide range of supramolecular frameworks. The thermal decomposing process occurs in three steps.