Self-assembly of NiX2 (X = Br or OAc) with 2-hydroxymethyl pyridine (hmpH) and 5-ethoxycarbonyl-2-hydroxymethyl pyridine (5-ehmpH) results in six new Ni(II) complexes viz.[Ni(hmpH)2(H2O)2]Br2 (1), [Ni4(hmp)4(µ-OAc)4] (2), [Ni2(µ-Br)2(5-ehmpH)4]Br2·0.33MeCN·0.67H2O (3), [Ni(5-ehmpH)3]Br2·0.33MeOH (4), [Ni4(5-ehmp)4(H2O)4Br4] (5) and [Ni4(5-ehmp)4(µ-OAc)2(OAc)2(H2O)2] (6), all of which have different chemical compositions and structures. Complexes 2, 5 and 6, however, share a common cubane [Ni4O4] core in which the deprotonated alkoxypyridine serves as a bridge-chelate. The others (viz.1, 3, 4) are mono- or dinuclear with the alkoxypyridine remaining in its native acid form.
