Self-assembled hetero-bimetallic coordination cage and cation-clusters with µ2-Cl bridging using a flexible two-arm ferrocene amide linker

One flexible, discrete coordination cage [Cu(2)(3-BPFA)(4)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(4).4CH(3)OH (), and two cation-clusters with micro(2)-Cl bridging [Ni(2)(micro-Cl)(3-BPFA)(4)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(3) () and [Co(2)(micro-Cl)(3-BPFA)(4)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(4).4CH(3)OH (), containing the ferrocenyl functionality were prepared via coordination-driven self-assembly and Cl-anion template from Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) salts and a flexible two-arm molecule 1,1-bis[(3-pyridylamino)carbonyl]ferrocene (3-BPFA).