Effect of Initial CoII Salts on the Composition and Structure of Cs–CoII Dimethylmalonates

The coordination compounds of cobalt(II) {[Cs2Co(H2O)4(Me2Mal)2] · H2O}n (1) and {[Cs8Co36(H2O)34(OH)20(Me2Mal)30)] · 40H2O}n (2) (Me2Mal2– is the dimethylmalonic acid dianion) have been synthesized by varying the initial cobalt(II) salt (CoCl2 · 6H2O and Co(OAc)2 · 4H2O, respectively) in the reaction with cesium dimethylmalonate (reagent ratio, 1 : 2). X-ray diffraction shows that a crystal of complex 1 is built of cobalt(II) dimethylmalonate anionic layers spaced apart by aquated cesium cations, and a crystal of complex 2 is composed of 36-nuclear spherical anions with cobalt(II) atoms, cesium cations, and solvated and coordinated water molecules.