Studies on the metal-amide bond. XX. A structural comparison of an unusual dimeric cobalt(III) complex, fac-[Co₂(bpen)₃]·12H₂O, with the free ligand N,N′-Bis(2′-pyridinecarboxamide)-1,2-ethane, bpenH₂

The crystal and molecular structures of the ligand bpenH₂ (N,N′-bis(2′-pyridinecarboxamide)-1,2-ethane) and its deprotonated dimeric cobalt(III) complex fac-[Co₂(bpen)₃]·12H₂O have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Crystal data: (a) bpenH₂, C₁₄H₁₄N₄O₂, orthorhombic, space group Pccn, a=9.638(1), b= 15.288(1), c = 8.684(1) Å, Z=4; (b) Co₂(bpen)₃· 12H₂O, C₄₂H₆₀N₁₂O₁₈Co₂, triclinic, space group P1, a = 11.128(3), b = 14.316(5), c = 16.466(4) Å, α= 92.02(2)°, β = 95.21(2)°, γ = 99.30(2)°, Z = 2. The structures were refined to R 0.034 and 0.053 for 1064 and 7748 independent reflexions, respectively. The bpenH₂ molecule has a space group imposed centre of symmetry, with the amide group adopting a trans configuration in the closely planar picolinamide moiety. The cobalt complex is dimeric in which three bpen ligands, acting each as a bis(N₂-bidentate), bridge the two metal atoms. Each cobalt atom is octahedral with CoN_py 1.944(3) and Co N_am 1.933(3) Å. The Co··Co separation is 5.493(1) Å. The symmetry of the dimeric molecule is D₃ which is consistent with that indicated from solution NMR studies.