Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of trinuclear chromium(III) basic carboxylate assembly: [Cr3O(salH)7(H2O)2] (salH2=salicylic acid), a new member of [Cr3O] family

•A novel trinuclear chromium(III) basic carboxylate complex was synthesized.•The complex is neutral molecule with [Cr3O]7+ linked with seven Ph(OH)CO2-.•It adds a new member for the [Cr3O] family.•Magnetic studies indicate an ST = 1/2 ground state and antiferromagnetic.

Synthesizing a novel trinuclear chromium(III) basic carboxylate complex could give rise to new materials with interesting properties. Complex [Cr3O(salH)7(H2O)2] is formed in a one-pot, self-assembly reaction when the inert reaction mixture is exposed to dioxygen. The structural property of the complex has been acquired by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and further characterized by elemental analysis (EA), infrared (IR), UV–Visible (UV–Vis), fluorescence spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA). X–ray structural analysis shows a slightly distorted equilateral of the Cr triangle. The most important feature of the title complex is the unusual framework of the [Cr3O] family due to a terminal Ph(OH)CO2- ion of Cr(2) center, which is unique among the structurally characterized (μ3-oxo)-trichromium(III) complexes. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies indicate that the total spin value of the ground state is 1/2.

Graphical abstractThe complex is neutral molecule with [Cr3O]7+ connected with seven salicylic acid ligand (among which six salicylic acid are bidentate ligand). The ground state is 1/2 and the value of the χMT at room temperature is 3.82 cm3 mol-1 K for the complex.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide