Multinuclear Beryllium Chloro Carboxylates.

Reaction of 1 equiv of BeCl 2 with mesityl (Mes) or o -tolyl ( o -Tol) carboxylic acid in benzene gives hexanuclear heterocyles [BeCl(MesCO 2 )] 6 and [BeCl( o -TolCO 2 )] 6 , respectively. Small amounts of the oxocarboxylates [Be 4 O(MesCO 2 ) 6 ] and [Be 4 O( o -TolCO 2 ) 6 ] are also formed. If chloroform is used as the solvent, a mixture of these complexes together with the unprecedented tertranuclear cage compounds [Be 4 Cl 2 (MesCO 2 ) 6 ] and [Be 4 Cl 2 ( o -TolCO 2 ) 6 ] is obtained.