A Discrete μ4-Oxido Tetranuclear Iron(III) Cluster

Reaction of a Schiff base ligand derived from salicyloyl hydrazide and diacetyl monooxime (H2L) with a triangular mu 3-oxido-centered [Fe3(mu 3-O)]7+ core yields a new tetranuclear iron(III) complex. FeIII4(mu 4-O) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P$\bar {1}$. Structural studies reveal that this tetranuclear iron(III) complex is a new structure type of an uncharged (alkoxido)(oxido)iron(III) cluster in which the four iron(III) ions are located at the corners of a distorted tetrahedron. A study of the magnetic properties supports the presence of antiferromagnetic interactions through the central mu 4-oxido ion as well as the mu 2-methoxy groups present, giving an an S = 0 ground state. Mossbauer spectroscopy confirms the presence of high-spin iron(III) ions in this complex.