Mirror-plane disorder in a nickel chloride Schiff base complex: a suitable case study for crystallographic instruction

Acta Crystallogr C Struct Chem. 2022 Mar 1;78(Pt 3):137-140. doi: 10.1107/S2053229622000973. Epub 2022 Feb 8.

Abstract

The nickel chloride complex of the Schiff base N2,N2'-propanediylbis(2,3-butanedione-2-imine-3-oxime), namely, chlorido(3,9-dimethylundeca-3,8-diene-2,10-dione 10-oxime 2-oximato-κ4N,N',N'',N''')nickel(II), [NiCl(C11H19N4O2)], at 100 K crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmce. The structure exhibits mirror disorder of the main molecule that is not present in the bromide analogue. The relatively small number of unique reflections in the data set and the disorder imposed by the crystallographic mirror plane present a challenging educational case study.

Keywords: Schiff base; case study; crystal structure; disorder; nickel complex; oxime.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Nickel* / chemistry
  • Schiff Bases* / chemistry

Substances

  • Schiff Bases
  • nickel chloride
  • Nickel