Crystal Structures of Neutral Cobalt(III) Complexes: Common Hydrogen-Bonding Patterns Observed in Compounds of Different Molecular Structures

Crystal structure determinations of coordination compounds of the type Co(L)X3, where L is
diethylenetriamine, N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine, or N-(2-aminoethyl)-N‘-methyl-1,3-propanediamine and
X is CN-, Cl-, or CH3CO2- and of the type Co(L)(NO2)2Y, where L is N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine and Y
is CN- or CH3-, reveal that they all display the same type of intermolecular hydrogen bonds to form two-dimensional
packing structures. Differences in the local geometries of the compounds do not have a significant effect on the
major interactions between molecules. As a result of the same type of intermolecular interactions, centrosymmetric,
polar, and enantiomorphic packing structures are formed, implying that crystallization modes of these type of
compounds are not dictated by a specific interaction between molecules.