Syntheses and Structures of New Trinuclear M II LnM II ( M = Ni, Co; Ln = Gd, Ce) Complexes with 2, 6‐Bis(acetobenzoyl)pyridine

One‐pot reactions of 2, 6‐bis(acetobenzoyl)pyridine (H 2 L) with a mixture of Ln Cl 3 ( Ln = Ce, Gd) and Ni(CH 3 COO) 2 (ratio 2:1:2) in CH 2 Cl 2 /MeOH in the presence of a supporting base like Et 3 N give trinuclear complexes with the general composition [Ni 2 Ln (L) 2 (CH 3 COO) 3 (MeOH) 2/3 ] ( 1 ) in high yields. Trinuclear [Ni 2 Ln (L) 2 (PhCOO) 3 (MeOH) 2 ] ( 2 ) complexes are formed when similar reactions are performed starting from NiCl 2 , and benzoic acid (PhCOOH) is added subsequently. Under the same conditions, reactions with the corresponding cobalt(II) salts result in the formation of a neutral [Co 8 (μ 3 ‐O) 2 (L) 6 ] complex, which has a bis(triple‐helical) structure. The cobalt(II) analogues to compounds 1 and 2 , however, can be synthesized by a pre‐treatment of the lanthanide salts with H 2 L and subsequent addition of the cobalt salts, and benzoic acid (in the case of 2 ).