A new [Ni4II] distorted cubane assembly on four solvent derived μ3-OMe corners:: Solvent dependent formation and cleavage of exogenous bridges

A new Ni-4 distorted cubane complex [Ni-4(mu(3)-OMe)(4)Q(4)(MeOH)(4)] (1) (where Q(-) is the anion of 8-quinolinol) is obtained from the reaction of NaQ with Ni(OAc)(2) center dot 4H(2)O in refluxing MeOH via solvent derived mu(3)-OMe assisted self-assembly of four nickel(II) centres. The periphery of [Ni-4(OMe)(4)] cubane is covered by four Q(-) and four MeOH molecules. This methanol specific reaction is not supported in solvent glycinol (HgI; NH2(CH2)(2)OH), an amine substituted ethanol, producing monomeric [NiQ(2)(HgI)(2)] center dot 2H(2)O (2 center dot 2H(2)O) instead and is able to cleave 1 to yield 2 center dot 2H(2)O. The cryomagnetic susceptibility data of powdered 1 can be modeled by a two J equation yielding J(1) = -1.8(1) cm(-1), J(2) = 3.9(1) cm(-1) and g = 2.24. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.