Abstract
The reaction of the potentially bis-terdentate ligand PMPT with [Fe-II(PY)(4)(NCS)(2)] in methanol under an inert atmosphere gives [Fe-n(II)(PMPT)(n)(NCS)(2n)] (1), where PMPT = 4-pyrrolyl-3,5-bis {[(2-pyridylmethyl)-amino]methyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole. In contrast, conducting this reaction in dimethylformamide (DMF), or recrystallizing 1 from DMF, leads to the formation of the tetranuclear Fe-III metallomacrocycle [Fe-4(III)(PMPT)(2)(O)(2)(NCS)(8)(DMF)(2)] (2). This is the first structurally characterised complex of a ligand of this type that does not bind in a bis-terdentate manner with a 1:1 metal:ligand stoichiometry and (NN2)-N-1 bridging of the bound metal ions. Instead, each ligand strand binds in an asymmetric fashion, providing two well separated (no triazole bridge) bidentate and terdentate binding pockets, with the additional binding sites on the iron(III) centres occupied by N-bound thiocyanate anions (NB. previous complexations have involved non-coordinating anions), oxide bridges, and/or DMF. Analogous reactions of [Fe-II(PY)(4)(NCS)(2)] and the closely-related ligand PMAT appear to result in ligand decomposition, although a few crystals of the complex [Fe-4(III)(PMAT)(2)(O)(2)(NCS)(8)(DMF)(2)].solvents, (3.solvents) were obtained (PMAT = 4-amino-3,5-bis {[(2-pyridylmethyl)-amino]methyl}-4H-1,2,4-triazole). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.