The structure of a mu-carbonato-mu-oxo-diiron(III) complex with the te
tradentate tripodal ligand nitrilotriacetate (nta), [Fe2(nta)2(CO3)O]4
-, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction for the pot
assium salt, K4[Fe2(C6H6NO6)2(CO3)O].2CH3OH.2H2O. The binuclear comple
x has crystallographic twofold symmetry and the coordination geometry
around the Fe atoms is distorted octahedral. The F-O-Fe bridge angle i
s 121.1(2)-degrees and the Fe...Fe interatomic distance is 3.188 (1) a
ngstrom. The Fe2(CO3)O core is not planar; the dihedral angle between
the Fe2O and CO3 planes is 33.8 (5)-degrees.