Crystal structure of mer-tris-(N-benzylsalicylaldiminato)manganese(III)

The crystal structure of the title compound has been determined by the heavy-atom method from X-ray diffractometer data and refined by least-squares to R 0.05 (2991 reflections). Crystals are triclinic, space group p1, a = 11.054(2), b = 16.462(3), c = 9.801(2) Å, α = 104.91(1), β = 93.20(2), γ = 94.02(2)°, Z = 2. The three ligands are bidentate, co-ordinating through the oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the mer-conformation, i.e. trans-isomer. The manganese environment displays a pseudo-tetragonal distortion, the axial atoms being nitrogen [Mn-N 2.251(5) and 2.271(5) Å]. The equatorial atoms are at distances: Mn-O 1.882(3), 1.896(3), and 1.917(4), and Mn-N 2.082(5) Å.