Synthesis, crystal structures, and properties of two manganese(II)-nitroprusside complexes

Two new manganese(II)-1,10-phenanthroline-nitroprusside complexes, [Mn(phen)3][Fe (CN)5(NO)]⋯2H2O⋯0.25CH3OH (1) and [Mn(phen)2(H2O)2][Fe(CN)5(NO)]⋯H2O (2) (where phen is 1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, electronic paramagnetic resonance (E.P.R.) and IR analyses. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n, with lattice parameters a = 10.0441(15) Å, b = 19.668(2) Å, c = 19.938(3) Å,  β =100.427(14)°, V = 3873.7(10) Å3, Z = 4; complex (2) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c, with a = 17.120(2) Å, b = 13.7925(19) Å, c = 14.4362(17) Å, β = 107.962(12)°, V = 3242.6(7) Å3, Z = 4. In the two compounds, three phen ligands 1, or two phen ligands and two cis-related aqua molecules 2, are in a distorted octahedral arrangement around the Mn(II) ion. The nitroprusside anion, [Fe(CN)5(NO)]2−, acts as a counterion. It is intriguing that in complex 2 no cyano bridges are present with two water molecules coordinated to the Mn(II) ion considering that usually the cyano nitrogen atoms are strong donors and could readily replace the coordinating solvent water molecules. Abundant hydrogen bond interactions and π–π stacking between the phen rings in two complexes lead to three-dimensional supramolecular networks.