Coexistence of two distinct axial ligands and their thermo-induced substitution in trans-[FeL2(NCS)2][FeL2(CH3OH)2](NCS)2 (L = 4-amino-3-(p-chlorophenyl)-5-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole)

A novel iron(II) complex, trans-[FeL2(NCS)2][FeL2(CH3OH)2](NCS)2 (1) with 4-amino-3-(p-chlorophenyl)-5-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazole (L) has been successfully synthesized and characterized. X-ray crystallography analysis shows that 1 is the first example in the mononuclear triazole-based complexes consisting of two distinct molecules: trans-[FeL2(NCS)2] and trans-[FeL2(CH3OH)2](NCS)2 with each octahedral iron(II) center coordinated axial by two NCS− ions in Fe1 but two MeOH molecules in Fe2. Moreover, 1 can lose two MeOH molecules at 220 °C to form trans-[FeL2(NCS)2] (2) which can be transformed to 1 when recrystallizing 2 in methanol. Both 1 and 2 are high-spin species in the range of 1.8–300 K.