One-pot synthesis of Ni(II) and Fe(III) complexes: In situ formation of 2-pyridinemethanol from 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde

A cubane-like tetranuclear nickel(II) compound [Ni4(L)4Cl4(H2O)3(C2H5OH)]·H2O (1) and a binuclear iron(III) compound Fe2(L)2Cl4 (2) (HL = 2-pyridinemethanol) have been prepared by solvothermal reaction of metal chloride and 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde in C2H5OH, in which 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde was in situ reduced to 2-pyridinemethanol. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis suggests that the cluster core of [Ni4(μ3-O)4] in 1 is formed by four Ni(II) and four alkoxide oxygen atoms at alternating corners, and the binuclear iron complex 2 is almost co-planar structure with alkoxide oxygen atom in μ2-mode. The magnetic studies reveal the ferromagnetic behavior for 1 and the anti-ferromagnetic interaction for 2.