Bis[(2-pyridyl)(2-pyridylamino)- methanolato]cobalt(III) perchlorate : a consequence of cobalt ion-assisted oxidative deamination of a tris(pyridyl)aminal ligand

The title compound, [Co(C11H10N3O)2]ClO4, designated [Co(L2)2]ClO4, was synthesized by reaction of CoII with two molar equivalents of (2-pyrid­yl)­bis­(2-pyridylamino)­methane (L1) under ambient conditions, whereby the divalent metal ion was oxidized concomitantly with oxygenation and deamination of the aminal polydentate ligand to generate the tridentate ligand anion (2-pyrid­yl)(2-pyridyl­amino)­methanol­ate, L2−. In the X-ray crystal structure of the complex cation, [Co(L2)2]+, the two L2− ligands are coordinated to the central cobalt(III) metal ion in a facial mode to afford a pseudo-octa­hedral geometry. The four pyridyl N atoms constitute the equatorial plane on which the cobalt(III) ion lies; the methanol­ate O atoms occupy the axial positions.