Mononuclear Indium and Gallium Tetrachlorocatecholate Complexes

Two mononuclear tetrachlorocatecholate complexes, chlorotri(pyridine-N)[3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1,2-benzenediolato(2−)-O,O']indium, [InCl(1,2-O₂C₆Cl₄)(py)₃], (1), and chloro(1,10-phenanthroline-N,N')(pyridine-N)[3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1,2-benzenediolato(2−)-O,O']gallium, [GaCl(1,2-O₂C₆Cl₄)(py)(phen)], (2) (py is pyridine, C₅H₅N, and phen is 1,10-phenanthroline, C₁₂H₈N₂), have been structurally characterized as solvates, (1) as its bis(diethyl ether) solvate and (2) as its 3.5-pyridine solvate. Both (1) and (2) contain octahedrally coordinated metals but with the nitrogen donor ligands in a mer arrangement in (1) and a fac arrangement in (2). Stabilization by intramolecular CH...O and CH...Cl interactions is evident, and, together with steric considerations, is likely to promote the observed configurations. Compound (1) shows an interesting packing arrangement of infinite planar sheets held together by short Cl...Cl contacts.

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