A new binuclear Cr(III) citrate anion: Synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of [Cr(CO(NH2)2)6]2[Cr2(CO(NH2)2)2(C6H4O7)2]3

The new anion [Cr2(CO(NH2)2)2(C6H4O7)2]2 − has been isolated in the complex [Cr(CO(NH2)2)6]2[Cr2(CO(NH2)2)2(C6H4O7)2]3. The crystals of this complex were obtained by a one-pot synthetic method using 1:1 molar ratio of hexaureachromium(III) chloride and trisodium citrate in aqueous medium. It was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound crystallizes in space group R‾3 of the trigonal system with three formula units in a cell of dimensions a = b = 24.7461(4) Å, c = 13.7204(3) Å and γ = 120°. The crystal structure comprises the columns consisting of [Cr(CO(NH2)2)6]3 + cations surrounded by a cylinder of complex anions, [Cr2(CO(NH2)2)2(C6H4O7)2]2 − which are packed in a honeycomb-like manner. This supramolecular architecture is formed and stabilized by inter- and intramolecular Nsingle bondH⋯O hydrogen bonds.