Unusual structural types in nickel cluster chemistry from the use of pyridyl oximes: Ni5, Ni12Na2, and Ni14 clusters.

Syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetochemical characterization are reported for the three new nickel(II) clusters [Ni(14)(OH)(4)(N(3))(8)(pao)(14)(paoH)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (1), [Ni(12)Na(2)(OH)(4)(N(3))(8)(pao)(12)(H(2)O)(10)](OH)(2) (2), and [Ni(5)(ppko)(5)(H(2)O)(7)](NO(3))(5) (3) (paoH = pyridine-2-carbaldehyde oxime, ppkoH = di-2-pyridyl ketone oxime). The reaction of Ni(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O with paoH and NBu(n)(4)N(3) in H(2)O/MeCN in the presence of NEt(3), gave 1 in 65% yield. Complex 2 was obtained in 60% yield from the reaction of NiCl(2).6H(2)O with paoH and NaN(3) in H(2)O/MeCN in the presence of NaOH. The reaction of Ni(NO(3))(2).6H(2)O with ppkoH in EtOH in the presence of LiOH afforded complex 3 in 75% yield. The complexes all contain novel core topologies. The core of 1 comprises a central Ni(4) rhombus between two Ni(5). Complex 1 is the largest metal/oxime cluster discovered to date, as well as the first Ni(II)(14) coordination complex and the largest Ni(II)/N(3)(-) cluster. Complex 2 has a Ni(12)Na(2) topology that is very similar to that of 1, but with two central Ni(II) atoms of 1 replaced with Na(I) atoms. The core of 3 consists of four Ni(II) atoms forming a highly distorted tetrahedron, with the fifth Ni(II) atom lying almost on one of the edges. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc susceptibility and magnetization studies were carried out on complexes 1-3, and these were complemented with ac susceptibility data for 1 and 2. Fitting of the obtained M/(Nmu(B)) vs H/T data by matrix diagonalization and including axial zero-field splitting (D) gave ground-state spin (S) and D values of S = 6, D = -0.12(3) cm(-1) for 1 and S = 3, D = -0.20(5) cm(-1) for each of the two essentially noninteracting S = 3 Ni(6) subunits of 2. The data for 3 indicate antiferromagnetic exchange interactions and an S = 1 ground state. A simple 2-J model was found to be adequate to describe the variable-temperature dc susceptibility data. The combined work demonstrates the ligating flexibility of pao(-) and ppko(-), and their usefulness in the synthesis of polynuclear Ni(x) clusters with or without the presence of ancillary ligands.