Magnetic properties and crystal structure of a dinuclear iron(III) complex

[FeL(MeOH)Cl](2) (L = N-(5-methylphenyl)-3-methoxysalicylaldimine) was synthesized and its crystal structure determined, [C30H26Cl2Fe2N2O6], triclinic, space group P (1) over bar a = 7.481(2), b = 9.436(2), c = 10.961(2) Angstrom, alpha = 69.790(10), beta = 82.440(10), gamma = 83.690(10)degrees, V= 718.1(3) Angstrom (3), Z = 1. Two identical [FeLCl] fragments, related by an inversion centre, are connected by two bridging O atoms to form a binuclear unit. The iron(III) centers are separated by 3.196(2) Angstrom and weakly antiferromagnetically coupled (J = -10.4(1) cm(-1)), which follows from temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements in the range 5.1 to 275.6 K. The magnetic moment at 275.6 K is ca. 7.02 B. M., but 0.99 B. M. at 5.1 K. The magnetic susceptibility is at a maximum near 80 K and decreases rapidly as the temperature is lowered to liquid helium temperature.