An unexpected chelate conformation in trans-[(R)-N,N′-bis(α-phenylsalicylidene)propane-1,2-diaminato(2-)]-bis(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-κN3)-cobalt(III) perchlorate

The title compound, [Co(C29H24N2O2)(C4H6N2)(2)] ClO4, contains an optically active tetradentate Schiff base ligand in an equatorial plane and two 1-methylimidazole ligands at apical positions. The central N-C-C-N chelate ring of the Schiff base ligand has an envelope structure with a lambda conformation, which is different from the solution structure predicted from circular dichroism and H-1 NMR spectra.