Cobalt(II), nickel(II), and zinc(II) complexes with bidentate N,N′-bis(β-phenylcinnamaldehyde)-1,2-diiminoethane Schiff base: synthesis and structures

A series of complexes of the type M(Phca₂en)X₂, where Phca₂en=N,N′-bis(β-phenyl-cinnamaldehyde)-1,2-diiminoethane, M(II)=Co, Ni or Zn and X=Cl, Br, I or NCS have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal and molecular structures of Co(Phca₂en)Cl₂ (2), Ni(Phca₂en)Br₂ (5) and Zn(Phca₂en)Cl₂ (6) were determined by X-ray crystallography from single-crystal data. Complexes 2 and 5 are isomorph and isostructure, in which the coordination polyhedron about the central metal ion is distorted tetrahedron with Cl---Co---Cl, 110.17(6)°; N---Co---N, 84.16(13)° and Cl---Zn---Cl, 112.02(6)°; N---Zn---N, 83.45(16)°. The complex 5 crystallizes in triclinic system with two molecules per asymmetric unit, both having nickel ion in distorted tetrahedral geometry, Br---Ni---Br, 122.645(18)° and 125.729(18)°; N---Ni---N, 84.63(9)° and 85.08(9)°. These structures consist of intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the type C---HX. The formation of the C---HM weak intramolecular hydrogen bonds due to the trapping of C---H bonds in the vicinity of the metal atoms are reported for 2, 5 and 6. A ¹H NMR study of Zn complexes gives further evidence for the presence of such interactions and their significance. The spectral properties of the above complexes are also discussed.