The Synthesis and Structure of a Scandium Nitrate Hydroxy-Bridged Dimeric Complex Supported by Bipyridyl Ligands.

The current discussion on whether scandium, yttrium and lanthanum should represent Group 3 in the Periodic Table or whether lutetium should replace lanthanum in the group has prompted us to further explore the structural chemistry of the Group 3 elements and compare the coordination numbers and coordination geometries adopted. The steric and electronic properties of the coordinated ligands have a major influence on the structures adopted. We report the synthesis and crystal structure determination of an unusual dinuclear scandium complex [(bipy)(NO3)2Sc(µ-OH)2Sc(NO3)2(bipy)] obtained by the reaction of hydrated scandium nitrate with 2,2'-bipyridyl (bipy) in either ethanol or nitromethane. The crystal structure of the complex shows that the scandium centers are eight coordinate, and the structure obtained contrasts with related complexes found in the lanthanide series [Ln(bipy)2(NO3)3] and [Ln(phen)2(NO3)3] (phen = phenanthroline) and in [M(terpy)(NO3)3] (M = Sc, Er-Lu), where these complexes are all mononuclear.

The 'Molecule of the Month' Website-An Extraordinary Chemistry Educational Resource Online for over 20 Years.

The Molecule of the Month website (http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/motm.htm) is an educational resource that is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Here we reflect on its pioneering role in promoting new technology for visualizing and presenting chemical information on the web, as well as its achievements, as a free educational resource, both as a teaching aid and as a multi-user, multi-author learning platform. We discuss the legal aspects of such sites, as well as issues around how to make the content permanent. Finally, we look forward to how such sites may evolve in the future.