Di-μ-benzoato-di-μ-ethanolato-tetrakis[μ3-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyl-4-(oxidomethyl)pyridin-1-ium-3-olato]tetrakis[μ3-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyl-4-(oxidomethyl)pyridin-3-olato]di-μ3-oxido-heptamanganese(II,III) ethanol octasolvate

Our work in the area of synthesis of polynuclear manganese complexes and their magnetic properties led to the synthesis and crystallization of the title compound, [Mn7(C8H9NO3)4(C8H10NO3)4(C2H5O)2(C7H5O2)2O2]·8C2H5OH. Herein, we report the molecular and crystal structure of the title compound, which was synthesized by the reaction of Mn(C6H5COO)2 with pyridoxine (PNH2, C8H11NO3) followed by the addition of tetra­methyl­ammonium hydroxide (TMAOH). The core of this centrosymmetric complex is a cage-like structure consisting of six MnIII ions and one MnII ion bound together through Mn—O bonds. The compound crystallizes in hydrogen-bonded layers formed by O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds involving the aromatic amine group of the ligand PN2− with the neighboring O atoms from the PNH− ligand. The crystal structure has large voids present in which highly disordered solvent mol­ecules (ethanol) sit. A solvent mask was calculated and 181 electrons were found in a volume of 843 A3 in one void per triclinic unit cell. This is consistent with the presence of seven ethanol mol­ecules per formula unit, which accounts for 182 electrons per unit cell. Additionally, one ethanol mol­ecule was found to be ordered in the crystal.