ZINC(II) COMPLEXES OF PUTATIVE OBLIGATE TETRAHEDRALLY COORDINATING PRO-LIGANDS

An attempt to impose tetrahedral geometry on zinc(II) through use of b is(salicylideneamino)biphenyl pro-ligands has produced hydrolytically sensitive complexes. The single-crystal structures of [ZnL(EtOH)] [H(2 )L = l-2,2'-bis(salicylideneamino)biphenyl][monoclinic, space group P2 (1)/c, a = 11.654(2), b = 11.753(2), c = 18.878(3) Angstrom, beta = 98 .97(2)degrees, Z = 4] and its pro-ligand H(2)L [monoclinic, space grou p I2/c, a = 13.911(2), b = 13.759(2), c = 12.015(2) Angstrom, beta = 9 4.836(10)degrees, Z = 4] have been determined. The co-ordination geome try at zinc is slightly distorted trigonal bipyramidal.