Complexation of cobalt(II) by the hydrogenated form of N,N′-o-phenylenebis(salicylideneimine): The crystal structure of a trinuclear cobalt(II) complex

The reaction of N,N′-o-phenylenebis(salicylideneimine), H₂salphen, with sodium sand led to the hydrogenation of both imino groups of the ligand for 1/3; of the amount of H₂salphen present. By adding CoCl₂·1.5thf (thf = tetrahydrofuran) to the ligand mixture a trinuclear cobalt(II) complex 1 was isolated, and its structure determined. Crystallographic details: space group C2/c (monoclinic), a = 37.070(5), b = 14.036(2), c = 32.754(4) Å, β = 102.07(2)°, Z = 12 trimeric molecules, and R = 0.084 (R′ = 0.095) for 7332 independent observed reflections with I > 3σ(I).