Synthesis and characterization of oxalate-bridged binuclear iron(III) complex: [(N)2(O)2Fe(μ-ox)Fe(N)2(O)2]

In the present work, a novel oxalate-bridged binuclear iron(III) complex of aminophenol derivative, (μ-ox-FeLNEM), where LNEM is deprotonated form of a tetradentate aminophenol ligand and ox stands for oxalate, was synthesized. The iron complex has been characterized by X-ray crystallography, infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis, magnetic susceptibility studies and cyclic voltammetry techniques. X-ray structure analysis has revealed that each iron(III) is coordinated by two oxygen atoms of the oxalate group, two amine nitrogen’s and two oxygen atoms of phenolate ligand in an octahedral arrangement. The temperature variable magnetic susceptibility exhibits quite strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the two iron(III) centers. Cyclic voltammograms of the complex in dichloromethane at low temperatures showed two quasi-reversible cathodic peaks, corresponding to FeIIIFeIII to FeIIIFeII followed by FeIIIFeII to FeIIFeII process.