Characterization of a meso-chiral isomer of a hexanuclear Cu(II) cage from racemization of the L-alanine Schiff base.

We are reporting structural characterization of two new hexanuclear cages (H3O)2[Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ3-NH3)(0.5)(L)3]2·8H2O (1) and (H3O)2[Cu3(μ3-OH)(μ3-H2O)(0.5)(L)3]2·8H2O (1a) where L(2-) is the dianionic form of the Schiff base of L-alanine and salicylaldehyde.