A chloride-bridged chain polymer: synthesis and X-ray structure of [GdCl(μ-Cl)2(H2O)2CH3CN]

The title compound has been synthesised and its structure determined by X-ray diffraction. The structure comprises a single strand polymer, with five independent Gd units in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Each gadolinium atom has eight-coordinate bicapped trigonal prismatic geometry, co-ordinated by one terminal chlorine atom, four bridging chlorine atoms, two water molecules and one acetonitrile. Linkage to neighbouring metal centres is by double halogen bridges. The mean co-ordination distances are: GdCl 2.822 (bridging) and 2.676 Å (terminal), GdO, 2.362 and GdN, 2.538 Å.