CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF [HG-3(H(2)PDM)(2)(HPDM)(MU-CL)(2)CL-3]

The reaction between mercury(II)chloride and 2,6-pyridinedimethanol pr ovides a molecule with the empirical formula [Hg-3(H(2)pdm)(2)(Hpdm) ( mu-Cl)(2)Cl-3] whose crystal and molecular structure has been studied: a = 10.640(1), b = 10.818(2), c = 13.159(2) Angstrom, alpha = 88.480( 5), beta = 75.067(4), gamma = 89.736(5)degrees V = 1463.0(4) Angstrom( 3), Z = 2, P-1. The molecule consists of a central [Hg(Hpdm)Cl] fragme nt that is connected by chloro bridges to two lateral fragments of ide ntical constitution, [Hg(H(2)pdm)Cl-2]. The coordination geometry arou nd the central mercury atom is distorted octahedral, while the lateral metal atoms ave located in significantly different, distorted square- pyramidal polyhedrons. The tridentate ligand induces the formation of the square-pyramidal environment instead of the trigonal-bipyramidal o ne that is normally preferred by d(10) systems. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.