New four- and five-coordinated complexes of cobalt with sterically hindered o-iminobenzoquinone ligands: synthesis and structure

New square planar CoII(ISQ-iPr)2 (1), CoII(ISQ-Me)2 (2) and five-coordinate CoIII(ISQ-Me)2Cl cobalt complexes (3) (ISQ-iPr=4,6-di-tert-butyl-N-(2,6-di-iso-propylphenyl)-o-iminobenzosemiquinonate radical-anion, ISQ-Me=4,6-di-tert-butyl-N-(2,6-di-methylphenyl)-o-iminobenzosemiquinonate radical-anion) have been prepared using different methods. Complexes 1–3 have been characterized by IR, UV–Vis, EPR spectroscopy. Molecular structures of 1 and 3 were determined using X-ray crystallography. It has been established from variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements and X-band EPR spectroscopy that 1 and 2 possess an S=1/2 ground state. In the complex molecules the unpaired electrons of o-iminobenzosemiquinonate radical ligands (Srad=1/2) are strongly coupled antiferromagnetically. The sterical hindrances of N-aryl in o-iminobenzosemiquinonate ligands prevent the formation of a hexacoordinate species.