Pinwheel motifs: formation of unusual homo- and hetero-nuclear aggregates via bridging thiolates

Abstract

The homohexanuclear complexes [Ni2[Ni(L1)]4](BF4)4 x MeCN, 1, [Pd2(Pd(L2)]4](BF4)4, 2, and the heteropentanuclear aggregate [Cu2[Ni(L3)]3](PF6)2, 3, all adopt a 'pinwheel' type structural motif via thiolate bridging between square-planar Ni(II) or Pd(II) and between trigonal planar Cu(I) centres, respectively.