(H3dien)[Ni(NO3)(C2O4)2].2H2O: Synthesis, crystal structure, catalytic activity and magnetic study

The complex (H3dien)[Ni(NO3)(C2O4)2].2H2O, with (dien) is the diethylenetriamine (NH2CH2CH2)2NH, and was synthesized in solution. It was characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Infrared (FT-IR) and UV-Visible spectroscopies, and TG-DTA thermal analysis. FT-IR confirmed the characteristic bands of diethylenetriamine, nitrate and oxalate groups. (H3dien)[Ni(NO3)(C2O4)2].2H2O crystallizes into the monoclinic system (P21/c). Nickel has a square-based pyramidal NiO5 coordination. O-H...O and N-H...O H-bonds connect ionic entities and water molecules into bc-plane-parallel slabs. The UV-Visible spectrum shows absorption bands compatible with a six-coordinated high-spin octahedral Ni(II). Magnetization and a.c. susceptibility measurements were measured. The catalytic efficiency of the title compound in the reduction by NaBH4 of three nitrophenol isomers to their corresponding aminophenols was tested.