Isolation and characterization of a new type of mu-hydroxo-bis-Zn(salphen) assembly

A series of assemblies comprising hydroxo-bridged dinuclear Zn(salphen) structures have been isolated and fully characterized in solution and by X-ray crystallography. The solution stability of these assembled species was evaluated in polar media, in the presence of excess of building blocks and competing ligands. The catalytic potential of this type of complex was investigated in phosphoester cleavage reactions.