Structural characterization of some complexes of group 13 metal(III) nitrates with N,N′-Bidentate bases

The structural characterization of several novel complexes of gallium(III) and indium(III) nitrates, crystallized with 2,2'-bipyridyl (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) from nitromethane solution, is presented. The adduct In(NO3)(3):bpy (1:2) is of the form [(ONO2)(O2NO)(2)In(bpy)(2)], rather than [(ONO2)(3)ML2] as found for the larger M=Ln (rare earth), Bi, despite similar 2-symmetry. Several hydroxo-bridged dimers, [L2M(OH)(2)ML2](NO3)(4)(center dot S) are also presented, the cations all of the same isomeric form. [(ONO2)(bpy)In(OH)(2)In(bpy)(O2NO)], interestingly, displays two different forms within the one crystal, by virtue of different dispositions of the coordinated nitrate. The structures of related cis-[(phen)(2)GaBr2]Br(center dot S) and [(en)(2)In(OH)(2)In(en)(2)](NO3)(4) (en=H2N(CH2)(2)NH2) are also described, the latter isomorphous with its cobalt(III) counterpart.