Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of new binuclear transition metal complexes of Schiff bases derived from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol

Two new series of copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II), zinc(II), iron(III), chromium(III), vanadyl(IV) and uranyl(VI) complexes with two bifunctional tridentate Schiff base, H₄L¹ and H₂L² ligands have been prepared. The Schiff base, H₄L¹ and H₂L², ligands were synthesized by the condensation of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol with o-aminophenol or o-phenylenediamine. The ligands are either di- or tetra-basic with two symmetrical sets of either OON or NNO tridentate chelating sites. The ligands and their metal complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H-n.m.r., FT-IR, mass, electronic, esr spectra and thermal gravimetric analysis and magnetic susceptibility. With the exception of Co^II ion with H₂L² which afforded a trinuclear complex, a variety of binuclear complexes for the rest of the metal complexes were obtained with the ligands in its di- or tetra-deprotonated forms. The bonding sites are the azomethine and amino nitrogen atoms, and phenolic oxygen atoms. The metal complexes exhibit different geometrical arrangements such as square planar, tetrahedral, square pyramid and octahedral arrangement.