Octanuclearity and tetradecanuclearity in manganese chemistry: an octanuclear manganese(II)/(III) complex featuring the novel [Mn8(µ4- O)2(µ3-OH)2]14+ core and [Mn10IIMn4IIIO4(O2CMe)20{(2-py)2C(OH)O}4](2-py = 2-pyridyl)

Reactions of Mn sources with di-2-pyridyl ketone, (2-py)2CO, and phenyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime, (ph)(2-py)CNOH, give the novel clusters [Mn10IIMn4IIIO4(O2CMe)20{(2-py)2C(OH)O}4] 1 and [Mn4IIMn4IIIO2(OH)2(O2CPh)10{(ph)(2-py)CNO}4] 2, respectively, which possess lowspin ground states; the observed tetradecanuclearity in 1 is extremely rare in 3d-metal chemistry, while the core of 2 has a unique topology consisting of two linked {Mn2IIMn2IIIO(OH)} units.