Template synthesis, XRD structures and magnetic properties of the olefinboron-monocapped <i>3d</i>-metal tris-pyridineoximates and their copolymerization with styrene

New olefinboron-monocapped iron, nickel, and cobalt(II) pseudoclathrochelates were prepared by the template condensation of 2-acetylpyridineoxime as a chelating ligand synthon with 4-vinylphenylboronic acid as a Lewis-acidic capping agent on the corresponding metal(II) ion as a matrix. Thus, obtained reactive cage-like <i>3d</i>-metal complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, MALDI-TOF mass, ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR, and UV-vis spectra, and by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. Their copolymerization as the monomers with <i>N</i>-phenylmaleimide and styrene afforded the first magnetically active metalloclathrochelate-containing copolymeric products. Degrees of a conversion of these monomers in a course of copolymerization reactions were controlled using the solution ¹H NMR spectra. Molecular masses and molecular weight distributions in their products were obtained using the Gel Permeation Chromatography method. Mass fractions of the corresponding metallocomplex units in them were studied using the three independent methods, such as the energy-dispersive X-ray and solution UV-vis spectroscopies and magnetometry (in the case of the paramagnetic cobalt- and nickel-containing copolymers) and were found to be approximately 10%.