The use of the bis(bipyridine) ligand L (1,2-bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-6-yl)ethane) has yielded new dinuclear andhexanuclear complexes. The FeCl
3/NaO
2CPh/L (4:4:1) reaction system in MeCN gives red-brown [Fe
6O
4Cl
4(O
2CPh)
4L
2][FeCl
4]
2 (
1). The same reaction system in a 3:3:1 ratio in MeOH gives orange [Fe
2(OMe)
2Cl
2(O
2CPh)L][FeCl
4] (
2). Complex
1·2MeCN: monoclinic,
P2
1/
a,
a = 15.317(2) Å,
b = 18.303(3) Å,
c = 16.168(3) Å,
= 108.91(1)
, and
Z = 2. Complex
2: triclinic,
P,
a = 14.099(6) Å,
b = 18.510(7) Å,
c = 7.108(3)Å,
= 96.77(2)
,
= 99.45(2)
,
= 81.16(2)
, and
Z = 2. The cation of
1 consists of a near-planar [Fe
6(
3-O)
4]
10+ core that can be described as three edge-fused [Fe
2O
2] rhombs to which are attached two additionalFe atoms. The cation of
2 contains a [Fe
2(
-OMe)
2(
-O
2CPh)]
3+ core. In both cations, the L group acts as abridging ligand across an Fe
2 unit, with the bpy rings essentially parallel. Variable-temperature solid-state magnetic-susceptibility studies of
1 and
2 in the 2.00-300 K range reveal that for both complexes the data are consistentwith an
S = 0 cation and S =
5/
2 [FeCl
4]
- anions. These conclusions were confirmed by magnetization vs fieldstudies in the 2.00-4.00 K and 10.0-50.0 kG ranges. Fitting of the data for
2 to the appropriate theoreticalequation for an equimolar composition of Fe
2 cations and [FeCl
4]
- anions allowed the exchange interaction inthe cation to be determined as
J = -10.5 cm
-1 (
H = -2
JS1S2) with
g held at 2.00. The obtained
J value isconsistent with that predicted by a previously published magnetostructural relationship.