Synthesis and characterization of copper(II) and cobalt(II) complexes with two new potentially hexadentate Schiff base ligands. X-ray crystal structure determination of one copper(II) complex

Two new potentially hexadentate N₂O₄ Schiff base ligands 2-((z)-(2-(2-(2-((z)-3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino) phenoxy) phenoxy) phenylimino) methyl)-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol H₂L¹] and 2-((z)-(2-(2-(2-((z)-3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino) phenoxy)-5-tert-butylphenoxy) phenylimino) methyl)-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol H₂L²] were prepared from the reaction of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxy benzaldehyde with 1,2-bis(2′-aminophenoxy)benzene or 1,2-bis(2′-aminophenoxy)-4-t-butylbenzene, respectively. From the direct reaction of ligands H₂L¹] and H₂L²] with copper(II) and cobalt(II) salts in methanolic solution and in the presence of N(Et)₃ the neutral CuL¹], CuL²], CoL¹] and CoL²] complexes were prepared. All complexes were characterized by IR spectra, elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, mass spectra, molar conductance (Λ_m), UV-Vis spectra and in the case of CuL²] with X-ray diffraction. X-ray crystal structure of CuL²] showed that the complex contains copper(II) in a distorted square planar environment of N₂O₂ donors. Three CH/π interactions were observed in the molecular structure of latter complex.