The assembly of oligonuclear nickel(II) complexes from asymmetric compartmental ligands in the presence of alkali metal salts

On reaction with Ni(OAc)2 and NaX the asymmetric compartmental ligand HL2 forms a heteropentanuclear nickel(II)–sodium(I) complex in which the core is assembled from two dinuclear [Ni2L2] units which are each linked to a Na atom by bridging μ3-acetato-groups. If KX or NH4X is used then a homotrinuclear nickel(II) complex is isolated. The crystal structures of [NaNi4(L2)2(OAc)6(MeOH)2][ClO4], 1, and [Ni3(L2)2(OAc)2(MeOH)(H2O)][BF4]2, 3, are reported [HL2 is the proligand 2-propyliminomethyl-4-methyl-6-{[methyl-bis(2-pyridin-2-yl-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-phenol].