ESR and pH-potentiometric study of the mixed-ligand complex formation in the copper(II)-4-fluorosalicylic acid-N,N-diethylnicotinamide system: Structure and spectral properties of [Cu(4-fluorosalicylate)2(N,N-diethylnicotinamide)2(H2O)2] complex

EPR simulation method together with pH-potentiometry combined with UV-Vis spectrophotometry were used for the study of the ternary system 4-fuorosalicylic acid (HA)-N,N-diethylnicotinamide (B)-copper(II) in aqueous solution. The N,N-diethylnicotinamide ligand is a weak donor, its mixed-ligand complexes with 4-fluorosalicylate anions are more favoured. The number of coordinated N,N-diethylnicotinamide molecules increases with decreasing temperature: up to four ones were detected in the coordination sphere of copper(II) in frozen solutions. The formation of CuH₋₁AB₂] and CuH₋₁A] was detected by all methods at neutral pH. At lower pH values, CuA₂B₂] and CuB] become dominant, and this fact is in good agreement with CuA₂B₂(H₂O)₂] crystals obtained from similar solutions. The structural unit of the CuA₂B₂(H₂O)₂] complex consists of a copper(II) ion, which is monodentately coordinated by a pair of 4-fluorosalicylate anions and by a pair of N,N-diethylnicotinamide in trans positions in the basal plane, and by two water molecules in the axial positions of a tetragonal bipyramid.