The crystal and molecular structure of N,N′-ethylenebis(benzoylacetoniminato)-nickel(II)
The crystal structure of N,N′-ethylenebis(benzoylacetoniminato)nickel(II), NiII(benacacen), has been determined by X-ray diffraction. Crystals are monoclinic and belong to the space group P21/n; the cell dimensions are a = 793(2), b = 7.910(1), c = 22.020(4) Å, β = 96.68(2)°. Intensity data were measured on a four-circle automatic diffractometer and the structure was solved by combined use of direct and Patterson methods. Full-matrix least-squares refinement converged at R = 0.032 for 3456 observed reflections. The geometry around the Ni atom is square planar; remarkable planarity extends to the whole ligand, aside from the rotation of the phenyl rings and the torsion along the dimethylene bond. Bond distances and bond angles are in agreement with corresponding values found for other Schiff-base type complexes. The packing of the molecules leaves empty channels running through the crystal, a relevant point in the study of chemical models for oxygen carriers of biological interest.