SYNTHESIS, STRUCTURE, AND PROPERTIES OF A NEW TRINUCLEAR IRON CLUSTER, (7)CENTER-DOT-CENTER-DOT-8MEOH-CENTER-DOT-3.5H(2)O

Reactions of iron(III) salts with a new bidentate ligand, which is pot entially capable of forming binuclear iron complexes upon complexation , were studied. Under various conditions, we succeeded in isolating on ly the trinuclear cationic complex [Fe-3(III)(O(2)CR)(6)(mu(3)-O)](7+) (1), where RCO(2) is 2-(pyrid-2-ylmethoxy)benzoic acid protonated at the pyridyl moiety. The structure of 1 was established by spectral, ma gnetic, and X-ray structural studies. Cyclic voltammetry in MeCN in th e temperature range from -35 to 20 degrees C demonstrated that 1 under goes successive Fe-III-->Fe-II reduction in three one-electron stages, which is indicative of the electronic interaction between iron atoms in the complex.