Magnesium dicarboxylates: First structurally characterized oxydiacetate and thiodiacetate magnesium complexes

Novel magnesium oxydiacetate and thiodiacetate complexes, [{Mg(oda)(H2O)2} · H2O]n (1) image and [Mg(tda)(H2O)3] · H2O (2) image, were synthesized from the reaction of aqueous solutions of magnesium dichloride with a 1:1 mixture of Na2CO3 and oxydiacetic acid or thiodiacetic acid, respectively. Complex 1 is a one-dimensional polymer with a planar bridging oxydiacetate ligand in a meridional disposition, whereas 2 is a monomer containing the typical tridentate thiodiacetate ligand with a facial configuration.