Syntheses, crystal structures and properties of Co(II) complexes with N,N′-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-benzenedimethyleneimine (bpb), and Cd(II), Hg(II) complexes with reduced bpb

Five novel coordination polymers, Co(bpb)₂Cl₂] (1), Co(bpb)₂(SCN)₂] (2), Cd(H₄bpb)_0.5(dmf)(NO₃)₂] (3), Cd₂(H₄bpb)Br₄] (4), and Hg₂(H₄bpb)I₄] (5) bpb=N,N′-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-benzenedimethyleneimine, H₄bpb=N,N′-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-benzenedimethylamine], were synthesized and their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. In the solid state, complex 1 is a 1D hinged chain, while 2 has 2D network structure with the ligand bpb serving as a bridging ligand using its two pyridyl N atoms. The imine N atoms keep free of coordination and bpb acts as a bidentate ligand in both 1 and 2. Complexes 3, 4, and 5 with reduced bpb ligand, i.e. H₄bpb, show similar 2D network structure, in which ligand H₄bpb serves as a tetradentate ligand. Thermogravimetric analyses for complexes 1-5 were carried out and found that they have high thermal stability. The magnetic susceptibilities of compounds 1, 2 were measured over a temperature range of 75-300 K.