Abstract
Mixed ligand copper(II) complexes of 2-(2-pyridylethyl)picolylamine (pepica) of [Cu(pepica)(pi-colinato)](ClO4)(H2O) and the [Cu(pepica)(L)](ClO4)2 type, where L stands for 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy), 1,10-phenanthroline, neocuproine, and ethylenediamine, and dipicolylamine(dipica) of the [Cu(dipica)(L)](ClO4)2(H2O) n type, where L for 2,2′-bipyridine (n = 0), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen, n = 0), and neocuproine (n = 1), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, and IR, electronic and EPR spectroscopic measurements. The molecular structures of [Cu(pepica)(bipy)](ClO4)2 (1) and [Cu(dipica)(phen)](ClO4)2 (2) have been determined using three dimensional X-ray diffraction data. Complex 1 consists of discrete distorted square pyramidal [Cu(pepica)(bipy)] cations, with a meridional pepica ligand and one of the pyridine rings of the bipy ligand forming a basal plane. The other pyridine nucleus of the bipy is bound at the apex having an elongated bond distance of 2.255 Å and tilted off the normal z axis by ∼15°. Complex 2 comprises discrete distorted trigonal bipyramidal [Cu(dipica)(phen)] cations, with the two pyridine nuclei of the dipica ligand and one of the pyridine rings of the phen forming an equatorial trigonal plane and the remaining pyridine ring of the phen and the amine nitrogen of the dipica on the axial sites. The trigonal bipyramidal cation, distorted toward a square pyramidal structure, has an enlarged equatorial N(py)–Cu–N(py) angle of 132.4° and an elongated equatorial Cu–N(phen) bond of 2.156 Å. All of the complexes exhibit axial type EPR spectra. Gaussian resolved d-d spectra for these complexes, except the dipica-bipy and dipicaphen ones, yield an orbital sequence of dx 2- y 2 ≥ dz 2 > dxy > dyz ∼dxz . The bonding properties of the tridentate and the bidentate ligands are elucidated.