Hexanuclear Fe(III) complexes and their thermal decomposition into an undecanuclear species

The anion of the amino-alcohol 3-dimethylamino-2-propanol has been used to prepare a family of hexanuclear Fe(III) complexes of general formula [Fe6O2(OH)2(RCO2)10(C5H12NO)2] (R = Me: 1, R = Ph: 2, R = m-MeC6H4: 3, R = o-MeC6H4: 4). The complexes have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR and elemental analyses. The study of their magnetic properties reveals spin-ground states from S = 2 to S = 5. The thermal decomposition of the [Fe6] complexes results in the loss of the aminoalcohol ligands and the solid state formation of undecanuclear complexes.