Crystal structure of pentakis(ethylenediamine-κ 2 N , N ′)lanthanum(III) trichloride–ethylenediamine–dichloromethane (1/1/1)

We report here the crystal structure of a ten-coordinate lanthanum(III) metal coordinated by five bidentate ethylenediamine ligands, [La(C 2 H 8 N 2 ) 5 ]Cl 3 ·C 2 H 8 N 2 ·CH 2 Cl 2 . One free ethylenediamine molecule and three Cl − anions are also located in the asymmetric unit. The overall structure is held together by an extensive hydrogen-bonding network between the Cl − anions and the NH groups on the metal-bound ethylenediamine ligands. The free ethylenediamine molecule is held in an ordered position by additional hydrogen bonds involving both the chlorides and –NH groups on the metal-bound ligands. One highly disordered molecule of dichloromethane is located on an inversion center; however, all attempts to model this disorder were unsuccessful. The electron density in this space was removed using the BYPASS procedure [van der Sluis & Spek (1990). Acta Cryst. A 46 , 194–201].