Adduct formation between alkali metal ions and divalent metal salicylaldimine complexes having methoxy substituents. A structural investigation.

Sodium, potassium, and cesium salts (iodides, nitrates, acetates, and tetraphenylborates) form 1/1, 1/2 and 2/3 adducts with MLn [M = Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn; n = 1-4; H2L1 = N,N'-(3-methoxysalicyliden)ethane-1,2-diamine; H2L2, H2L3, and H2L4 are the -propane-1,2-diamine, -o-phenylenediamine, and -propane-1,3-diamine analogues of H2L1). Metal salicyladimine, alkali metal, and anion all exert influence on stoichiometry and reactivity. Sodium ions tend to reside within the planes of the salicylaldimine oxygens, as in Na(NO3)(MeOH).NiL4 (1), Na(NO3)(MeOH).CuL1 (2; both with unusual seven-coordinated sodium), and Na.(NiL4)2I.EtOH.H2O (3; with dodecahedral sodium coordination geometry). Potassium and cesium tend to locate between salicylaldimine ligands as in KI.NiL4 (4) and [Cs(NO3).NiL4]3.MeOH (5; structures with infinite sandwich assemblies), CsI.(NiL2)2.H2O (6), CsI3.(NiL4)2 (7; simple sandwich structures), and [K(MeCN)]2.(NiL4)3 (8; a triple-decker sandwich structure). Crystal data for 1 are the following: triclinic, P1, a = 7.3554(6) A, b = 11.2778(10) A, c = 13.562(2) A, alpha = 96.364(10) degrees, beta = 101.924(9) degrees, gamma = 96.809(10) degrees, Z = 2. For 2, triclinic, P1, a = 7.2247(7) A, b = 11.0427(6) A, c = 13.5610(12) A, alpha = 94.804(5) degrees, beta = 98.669(7) degrees, gamma = 99.26(6) Z = 2. For 3, orthorhombic, Pbca, a = 14.4648(19) A, b = 20.968(3) A, c = 28.404(3) A, Z = 8. For 4, triclinic, P1, a = 12.4904(17) A, b = 13.9363(13) A, c = 14.1060(12) A, alpha = 61.033(7) degrees, beta = 89.567(9) degrees, gamma = 71.579(10) degrees, Z = 2. For 5, monoclinic. P2(1)/n, a = 12.5910(2) A, b = 23.4880(2) A, c = 22.6660(2) A, beta = 99.3500(1) degree, Z = 4. For 6, orthorhombic, Pbca, a = 15.752(3) A, b = 23.276(8) A, c = 25.206(6) A, Z = 8. For 7, triclinic, P1, a = 9.6809(11) A, b = 10.0015(13) A, c = 11.2686(13) A, alpha = 101.03 degrees, beta = 90.97 degrees, gamma = 100.55 degrees, Z = 2. For 8, monoclinic, C2/c, a = 29.573(5) A, b = 18.047(3) A, c = 23.184(3) A, beta = 122.860(10) degrees, Z = 8.