Syntheses and crystal structures of bis(4-dimethylaminopyridine) group 12 trifluoroacetates — M(OCOCF3)2·2DMAP (M=Zn, Cd, Hg)

Bis(4-dimethylaminopyridine) group 12 trifluoroacetates—M(OCOCF3)2·2DMAP (M=Zn, Cd, Hg) were prepared in quantitative yields from the anhydrous metal trifluoroacetates and DMAP. All compounds crystallize in the triclinic space group P1̄ (no. 2) with two molecules per unit cell. While Zn(OCOCF3)2·2DMAP is built up by well-separated tetrahedral units exhibiting strongly covalent ZnO bonds to monodentate trifluoroactate groups, Cd(OCOCF3)2·2DMAP and Hg(OCOCF3)2·2DMAP form dimeric units. The metal centers are distorted octahedrally surrounded by two axial DMAP ligands, two ionic bridging and one chelating trifluoroacetate group.