[N,N'-(1,1,2,2-Tetramethylethylene)bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneiminato)]cobalt(II)

Dimerization of the molecule of the title compound, [Co(C₃₆H₅₄N₂O₂)], an efficient dioxygen carrier, is prevented by the methyl and tert-butyl substituents. The square-planar complex is bisected by a crystallographic mirror plane, with disorder of the -CMe₂-CMe₂- region. Molecular dimensions [Co-O 1.846 (2), Co-N 1.850 (2) Å] are very similar to those of the related 3-tert-butylsalicylidenato complex.

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