Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Line Shape Analysis of Dynamic NMR Spectra for Characterizing Coordination Sphere Rearrangements at a Chiral Rhenium Polyhydride Complex
Published on: July 27, 2022
Coordinative flexibility of 1,2-bis[1,4,7-triazacyclonon-1-yl]propan-2-ol in mononuclear and binuclear Ni(II)
Mark Warren1, Andrew R Battle, Boujemaa Moubaraki
1School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Abstract:
Reaction of 1,2-bis[1,4,7-triazacyclonon-1-yl]propan-2-ol hexabromide (T(2)PrOH.6HBr) with Ni(ClO(4))(2)[middle dot]6H(2)O and adjustment of the pH to 7 resulted in the crystallization of pink and blue products from the one reaction mixture. The analytical data and X-ray structure determinations establish compositions corresponding to [Ni(T(2)PrOH)]Br(ClO(4))xH(2)O (pink crystals) and [Ni(2)(T(2)PrO)(OH(2))(3)Br]Br(ClO(4))x2H(2)O (blue crystals). A repeat synthesis of the latter yielded the diperchlorate monohydrate [Ni(2)(T(2)PrO)(OH(2))(3)Br](ClO(4))(2)xH(2)O. In the mononuclear complex, the 2-propanol group connecting the two 1,4,7-trizacyclononane (tacn) rings is protonated, the six nitrogen donors from the T(2)PrOH ligand coordinating to a single Ni(II) centre in a distorted octahedral geometry. In the binuclear complexes and, three coordination sites on each distorted octahedral Ni(II) centre are occupied fac by three nitrogen donors from the one tacn ring, the two metal centres being linked by an endogenous alkoxo bridge. A notable common feature of the two identical cations is that for one Ni(II) centre the remaining two sites are occupied by two water ligands, while in the other a bromo ligand replaces one ligated water. Similar binuclear systems have been recently defined [Zn(2)(T(2)PrO)X(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2)(X = Cl, Br), two complexes that exhibit coordination asymmetry with one pseudo-octahedral and one pseudo-square pyramidal Zn(ii) centre. The weak antiferromagnetic coupling in and is discussed and compared to di-phenoxo-bridged Ni(II) examples.
Related Concept Videos
Coordination Number and Geometry
Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can be...
Stereoisomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula.
Transition metal complexes often exist as geometric isomers, in which the same atoms are connected through the same types of bonds but with differences in their orientation in space. Coordination complexes with two different ligands in the cis and trans positions from a ligand of interest form isomers. For example, the octahedral [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion has two isomers (Figure 1) In the cis...
Valence Bond Theory
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
¹H NMR of Conformationally Flexible Molecules: Temporal Resolution

