Crystal-chemical role of malonate ions in the structure of coordination polymers

Abstract

In the crystal structures of the malonate-containing compounds of d- or f-metals, the C3H2O 4 2− anions were found to exhibit 17 topologically different types of coordination to the metal atoms A, playing the role of mono-, bi-, tri-, or tetradentate ligands and forming one to seven O-A bonds. The C-C-C bond angle in the malonate ions changed from 103° to 126° and depended linearly on the dihedral angle (φCOO) between the planes of the two carboxyl groups of the anion. At φCOO < 60°, the malonate ions in the crystal structures always form six-membered metallocycles with d- or f-metal atoms, while at φCOO > 67°, they can form only four-membered metallocycles. The factors that influence the conformation of malonate ions in the structures of coordination polymers were discussed.