SYNTHESIS AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF ND5(MU-5-O)(MU-3-OR)2(MU-2-OR)6(OR)5(ROH)2 (R = PRI) - THE 1ST EXAMPLE OF A TRIGONAL BIPYRAMIDAL METAL OXOALKOXIDE

Reaction between neodymium chips and isopropanol (Pr(i)) led to the isolation of an oxoisopropoxide solvate Nd5(OPr(i))13(Pr(i)OH)2, which has been characterized by microanalysis and IR spectroscopy, as well as by X-ray diffraction. The molecule corresponds to a trigonal bipyramidal oxoalkoxide Nd5(mu-5-O)(mu-3-OR)2(mu-2-OR)6(OR)5(ROH)2 (R = Pr(i)), in which all metals achieve hexacoordination. The two alcohol molecules are linked to the same neodymium centre, thus leading to distortion of the M5O16 core.