Direct synthesis and crystal structures of new heteropolynuclear complexes containing aminoalcohol ligands: From heterobi- (Co/Zn) to heterotrimetallic (Cu/Co/Zn) compounds

Three novel heterometallic complexes [Co2Zn2(Dea)2(HDea)2(NCS)4] · 4dmso (1), [CuCoZn2(Dea)3Cl3(HOMe)] · MeOH (2) and [CuCoZn(Me2Ea)4(NCS)2(OAc)] (3) have been prepared from zerovalent zinc, cobalt thiocyanate and a dimethylsulfoxide solution of diethanolamine (1), zerovalent copper, cobalt chloride, zinc chloride and a methanol solution of diethanolamine (2), zerovalent copper, cobalt thiocyanate, zinc acetate and an acetonitrile solution of 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol in air (3) [H2Dea is diethanolamine and HMe2Ea is 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol]. The structures of all complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. Compound 1 consists of a centrosymmetric molecule based on a Co2Zn2O6 core. In contrast to 1, the coordination cores of the structures of the heterotrimetallic complexes, CuCoZn2O6 (for 2) and CuCoZnO4 (for 3) have no inversion centre. Both 2 and 3 possess a similar CuCoZnO4 fragment that can be viewed as an incomplete distorted cube.