Insertion of COS into Group 2 metal-ethoxide bonds; Crystal structures of [Mg(OCSOEt)(2)(EtOH)(4)] and [Sr-3(OCSOEt)(6)(EtOH)(8)]

Some compounds of the alkaline-earth metals, which result from the insertion of COS into metal-ethoxide bonds, have been synthesized and characterised. The crystal structure of the first linear trinuclear metal strontium complex [Sr-3(OCSOEt)(6)(EtOH)(8)] 2, which resulted from the reaction of [{Sr(OEt)(2)(EtOH)(4)}(n)] with COS gas, has been determined. The octahedral monomer [Mg(OCSOEt)(2)(EtOH)(4)]1 resulted from the insertion of a molecule of COS into the ethoxide bonds of [{Mg(OEt)(2)(EtOH)(4)}(n)]. The structures demonstrate three alternative co-ordination modes of the OCS(OR)(-) ligand.