A novel pentamanganese(II) cluster produced by a controlled self assembly process; an exact match between the coordination algorithm of the metals and the ligand binding site arrangement

The tetradentate ligand phaap combines a bridging alkoxide oxygen and diazi ne and pyridine nitrogen donors, with five critically positioned binding si tes, and on reaction with Mn(ClO4)(2). 6H(2)O undergoes a controlled self a ssembly to produce a unique trigonal bipyramidal oxygen bridged metal clust er with an exact match between the coordination requirements of the five si x-coordinate metals and the donor arrangements of the six coordinated ligan ds.