A series of crystalline
metal glycerolato complexes has been prepared. The
preparation of the cobalt, zinc, manganese, and iron complexes [(1 )-(4)] was
achieved by heating (above 110�) glycerol with metal acetates, carbonates,
oxalates, oxides, or hydroxides. The structure of (1) has been determined by
X-rays and contains Co-O-Co-O and Co-O-C-C-O rings. X-ray powder diffraction
and i.r. data are given for (1)-(4). These show (1)
and (2) to be isostructural and that (3) and (4) are variants of these. The
insolubility of (I), (2), (3), and (4) is in accord with their polymeric
nature.