Versatile binding properties of di-pyridyl ligands with Cu(II) complexes: The syntheses, structural characterization and thermal analysis of six new species

A novel series of 4,4′-bipyridine- and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane-Cu(II) complexes were synthesized using a variety of amine ligands (DPA = di(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, Medpt = 3,3′-diamino-N-methyldipropylamine, Hbpca = bis(2-pyridylcarbonyl)amine, TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) and cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane). Different complexes were obtained including mononuclear [Cu(cyclen)(4,4′-bipy)](ClO₄)₂ (1), dinuclear {[Cu(μ₂-bpca)(4,4′-bipy)(H₂O)]ClO₄}₂ (2), [Cu₂(DPA)₂(μ₂-4,4′-bipy)(ClO₄)₄)]·H₂O (3), [Cu₂(cyclen)₂(μ₂-bpe)](ClO₄)₄ (4) and [Cu₂(TPA)₂(μ₂-bpe)](ClO₄)₄ (5) and the 1-D polymer, {[Cu(Medpt)(μ₂-4,4′-bipy)](ClO₄)₂}_n (6). In the 1-6 samples, cooling up to 100 K produces only the expected, minor, changes in cell constants given no space group changes. Therefore, data for the 100 K structures are reported only. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography reveals the monodentate coordination of the 4,4′-bipy in 1 and 2, and the bridged nature of the di-pyridyl ligands in the dinuclear complexes 2-5 and in the polymeric complex 6. In this series, structures 3-6 consist of the 4,4′-bipy or bpe bridging the two Cu(II) centers, the coordination by the tri- or the tetra-N donors of the amine, and the ClO₄^- groups as counter ions in 4-6 complexes. In the complexes 3-6, the Cu···Cu distances across the bridged di-pyridyl ligands were found to be greater than 11 Å. The magnetic properties of complex 3 reveal no evidence for magnetic coupling between the two Cu(II) centers (J = -0.58 cm^-1).