Heterometallic Cu/Co and Cu/Co/Zn complexes bearing rare asymmetric tetranuclear cores: synthesis, structures, and magnetic and catalytic properties toward the peroxidative oxidation of cycloalkanes

The three novel heterometallic complexes [CuCo(III)Co(II)(2)(MeDea)(3)Cl(3)(CH(3)OH)(0.55)(H(2)O)(0.45)](H(2)O)(0.45) (1), [CuCo(III)Zn(2)(MeDea)(3)Cl(3)(CH(3)OH)(0.74)(H(2)O)(0.26)](H(2)O)(0.26) (2), and [CuCo(III)Zn(2)(MeDea)(3)Cl(3)(DMF)] (3) have been prepared using a one-pot reaction of copper powder with cobalt chloride (1) and zinc nitrate (2, 3) in a methanol (1, 2) or dimethylformamide (3) solution of N-methyldiethanolamine. A search of the Cambridge Structural Database shows that the tetranuclear asymmetric cores M(4)(μ(3)-X)(μ-X)(5) of 1-3 represent an extremely rare case of M(4)X(6) arrays. The magnetic investigations of 1 disclose antiferromagnetic coupling in a Co(II)-Cu(II)-Co(II) exchange fragment with J(Co-Cu)/hc = -4.76 cm(-1), J(Co-Co)/hc = -2.76 cm(-1), and D(Co)/hc = +34.3 cm(-1). Compounds 1-3 act as precursors for the mild peroxidative oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone with overall yields up to 23%. The synthetic and structural features as well as the thermogravimetric behavior and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry data are discussed.     

Structural, magnetic, high-frequency and high-field EPR investigation of double-stranded heterometallic [{Ni(en)2}2(micro-NCS)4Cd(NCS)2](n).nCH3CN polymer self-assembled from cadmium oxide, nickel thiocyanate and ethylenediamine

A novel heterometallic 1D coordination polymer [{Ni(en)2}2(micro-NCS)4Cd(NCS)2](n) x nCH3CN (en = ethylenediamine) has been prepared using the self-assembly process in a one-pot reaction of cadmium oxide, nickel and ammonium thiocyanates with an acetonitrile solution of ethylenediamine. The complex consists of an uncommon cis-Cd(SCN)4(NCS)2(4-) fragment and a rare combination of cis-Ni(en)2(2+) and trans-Ni(en)2(2+) building blocks linked by micro(1,3)-NCS bridges into a double-stranded zigzag chain structure. Each chain is comprised of [Ni2Cd2(micro-NCS-N,S)4)] macrocycles with chair-like and rectangular-like shapes arrayed alternately. The shortest intrachain CdCd separations are 9.535(1) and 10.868(2) A, while the nearest NiNi distances are 5.418(1) and 6.612(2) A. A network of weak N-HS hydrogen bonds, involving the terminal NCS ligands and NH2-groups of en, links the infinite chains and results in the formation of an extended supramolecular three-dimensional framework. Variable-temperature (1.8-300 K) magnetic susceptibilities show a slight change of the micro(B) value at low temperature, indicative of weak antiferromagnetic interactions (J = 1.55 cm-1) between magnetic canters. High-field, high-frequency (100-400 GHz) EPR spectra were simulated using S = 1 ground state for separate Ni2+ ions with the spin Hamiltonian parameters g = 2.165, D = 0.45 cm-1 and E = 0.03 cm(-1). According to DFT calculations, the D and E parameters are -0.35 cm(-1) and 0.049 cm-1 for the cis arrangement of Ni2+ and 0.58 cm(-1) and 0.012 cm(-1) for trans.     

N,N-Dimethylethylenediamine in direct and direct template syntheses of Cu(II)/Cr(III) complexes

Four new heterometallic Cu(II)/Cr(III) complexes with N,N-dimethylethylenediamine (dmen) and its novel Schiff-base derivatives, N′-[(1Z)-3-amino-1,3-dimethylbutylidene]-N,N-dimethylethane-1,2-diamine (dmenac) and N′-((1Z)-3-{[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amino}-1,3-dimethylbutylidene)-N,N-dimethylethane-1,2-diamine (dmen₂ac), have been easily prepared by self-assembly and characterized by spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray analysis. The structures of all the complexes are assisted by numerous hydrogen bonds that provide a web of interactions and mould the supramolecular architectures of the compounds. Variable-temperature (1.8–300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal Curie-Weiss paramagnetic behavior of all the compounds, supported by EPR studies.     

A heterotrimetallic Cu–Co–Zn complex with the 2,2′‐iminodiethanol ligand

The crystal structure of the title compound, triacetato‐1κO;3κ⁴O,O′‐(2,2′‐imino­diethanol)‐1κ³O,N,O′‐bis­(μ‐2,2′‐iminodi­ethanol­ato)‐1κ²O:2κ⁶O,N,O′:3κ²O′‐cobalt(III)copper(II)zinc(II), [CoCuZn(C₄H₉NO₂)₂(C₂H₃O₂)₃(C₄H₁₁NO₂)], shows a mol­ecule with a triangular three‐metal core. The metal sites were refined with full occupancies, but the possibility that the Zn and Cu positions are actually mixed Cu/Zn sites cannot be excluded. The inter­metallic Cu⋯Co and Co⋯Zn distances are 2.924 (3) and 2.906 (3) Å, respectively. The neutral mol­ecules are held together by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving amine groups from the 2,2′‐iminodiethanol ligands and acetate groups to build two‐dimensional layers.     

Structural and magnetic studies of tetranuclear heterometallic M/Cr (M = Co,Mn) complexes self-assembled from zerovalent cobalt or manganese,Reineckes salt and diethanolamine

Four novel heterometallic complexes [Co₂Cr₂(NCS)₄(HDea)₂(Dea)₂]·4dmf (1), [Co₂Cr₂(NCS)₄(HDea)₂(Dea)₂]·4dmso (2), [Mn₂Cr₂(NCS)₄(HDea)₂(Dea)₂(dmf)₂]·2dmf (3) and [Mn₂Cr₂(NCS)₄(HDea)₂(Dea)₂(dmso)₂]·4dmso (4) have been prepared using zerovalent cobalt (1, 2) or manganese (3, 4), Reineckes salt, ammonium thiocyanate and a non-aqueous solution of diethanolamine (H₂Dea) in air. The single X-ray analysis reveals that all compounds have similar centrosymmetric crystal structures based on a tetranuclear {M₂Cr₂(μ₃-O)₂(μ-O)₄} (M = Co, Mn) core. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of 1, 2 and 4 show antiferromagnetic coupling between the magnetic centers, while 3 exhibits a ferromagnetic behavior.     

A Cu-Zn-Cu-Zn heterometallomacrocycle shows significant antiferromagnetic coupling between paramagnetic centres mediated by diamagnetic metal

An unprecedented antiferromagnetic exchange mediated by two -O-Zn-O- bridges, with singlet-triplet splitting J= 35.0 cm-1, was observed between two copper centers separated by 5.7062(9)A in the heterometallomacrocyclic diethanolamine (H2L) complex [Cu2Zn2(NH3)2Br2(HL)4]Br2.CH3OH.