[N,N′‐Bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminato]­nickel(II) and [N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminato]copper(II)

In the title compounds, {2,2′‐[2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diyl­bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]­diphenolato‐κ⁴N,N′,O,O′}nickel(II), [Ni(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)], and {2,2′‐[2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diyl­bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]­diphenolato‐κ⁴N,N′,O,O′}copper(II), [Cu(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)], the Ni^II and Cu^II atoms are coordinated by two iminic N and two phenolic O atoms of the N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminate (SALPD^2?, C₁₇H₁₆N₂O₂^2?) ligand. The geometry of the coordination sphere is planar in the case of the Ni^II complex and distorted towards tetrahedral for the Cu^II complex. Both complexes have a cis configuration imposed by the chelate ligand. The dihedral angles between the N/Ni/O and N/Cu/O coordination planes are 17.20 (6) and 35.13 (7)°, respectively.     

Dimethyl 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylate and bis(dimethyl 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylato‐κ2N,N′)copper(I) tetrafluoroborate

The single‐crystal X‐ray structures of dimethyl 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylate, C₁₄H₁₂N₂O₄, and the copper(I) coordination complex bis(dimethyl 2,2′‐bipyridine‐6,6′‐dicarboxylato‐κ²N,N′)copper(I) tetrafluoroborate, [Cu(C₁₄H₁₂N₂O₄)₂]BF₄, are reported. The uncoordinated ligand crystallizes across an inversion centre and adopts the anticipated anti pyridyl arrangement with coplanar pyridyl rings. In contrast, upon coordination of copper(I), the ligand adopts an arrangement of pyridyl donors facilitating chelating metal coordination and an increased inter‐pyridyl twisting within each ligand. The distortion of each ligand contrasts with comparable copper(I) complexes of unfunctionalized 2,2′‐bipyridine.     

Shielding of Electron Acceptors Coordinated to Rhenium(I) by Carboxylato Groups. Intraligand and Charge‐Transfer Excited‐State Properties of fac‐(‘Anthraquinone‐2‐carboxylato')(2,2′‐bipyridine)tricarbonylrhenium (fac‐[ReI(aq‐2‐CO2)(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)3])

The photophysical and photochemical properties of (OC‐6‐33)‐(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κN¹,κN¹′)tricarbonyl(9,10‐dihydro‐9,10‐dioxoanthracene‐2‐carboxylato‐κO)rhenium (fac‐[Re^I(aq‐2‐CO₂)(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)₃]) were investigated and compared to those of the free ligand 9,10‐dihydro‐9,10‐dioxoanthracene‐2‐carboxylate (=anthraquinone‐2‐carboxylate) and other carboxylato complexes containing the (2,2′‐bipyridine)tricarbonylrhenium ([Re(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)₃]) moiety. Flash and steady‐state irradiations of the anthraquinone‐derived ligand (λ_exc 337 or 351 nm) and of its complex reveal that the photophysics of the latter is dominated by processes initiated in the Re‐to‐(2,2′‐bipyridine) charge‐transfer excited state and 2,2′‐bipyridine‐ and (anthraquinone‐2‐carboxylato)‐centered intraligand excited states. In the reductive quenching by N,N‐diethylethanamine (TEA) or 2,2′,2″‐nitrilotris[ethanol] TEOA, the reactive states are the 2,2′‐bipyridine‐centered and/or the charge‐transfer excited states. The species with a reduced anthraquinone moiety is formed by the following intramolecular electron transfer, after the redox quenching of the excited state: [Re^I(aq−2−CO₂)(2,2′‐bipy^.)(CO)₃]⁻⇌[Re^I(aq−2−CO₂^.)(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)₃]⁻ The photophysics, particularly the absence of a Re^I‐to‐anthraquinone charge‐transfer excited state photochemistry, is discussed in terms of the electrochemical and photochemical results.     

Di‐ and tripeptide segments of zervamicin II‐2: Z‐Thr(OBn)‐Aib‐N(Me)Ph and Z‐Val‐Aib‐Hyp(OBn)‐OMe

The title compounds, O‐benzyl‐N‐(benzyl­oxy­carbonyl)­threonyl‐2,N‐dimethyl­alanin­anilide, C₃₀H₃₅N₃O₅, and methyl (4R)‐4‐benzyl­oxy‐N‐(benzyl­oxy­carbonyl)­valyl‐2‐(methyl­alanyl)prolinate, C₃₀H₃₉N₃O₇, were obtained from the `azirine coupling' of the corresponding protected amino acids with 2,2,N‐trimethyl‐2H‐azirin‐3‐amine and methyl (4R)‐4‐(benzyl­oxy)‐N‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐2H‐azirin‐2‐yl)prolinate, respectively. The Aib unit in each mol­ecule has the greatest turn‐ or helix‐inducing effect on the mol­ecular conformation. Inter­molecular N—H⋯O inter­actions link the mol­ecules of the tripeptide into sheets and those of the dipeptide into extended chains.     

Tris(2,2′‐bioxazoline‐κ2N,N′)copper(II) diperchlorate and tris(2,2′‐bioxazoline‐κ2N,N′)­nickel(II) diperchlorate

In the two isomorphous title compounds, viz. tris­[2,2′‐bi(4,5‐di­hydro‐1,3‐oxazole)‐κ²N,N′]copper(II) diperchlorate, [Cu(C₆H₈N₂O₂)₃](ClO₄)₂, (I), and tris­[2,2′‐bi(4,5‐di­hydro‐1,3‐oxazole)‐κ²N,N′]­nickel(II) diperchlorate, [Ni(C₆H₈N₂O₂)₃](ClO₄)₂, (II), the M^II ions each have a distorted octahedral coordination geometry formed via six N atoms from three 2,2′‐bioxazoline ligands. For each ligand, the two five‐membered rings are nearly coplanar. It is noteworthy that the Jahn–Teller effect is stronger in (I) than in (II). The three‐dimensional supramolecular structures of (I) and (II) are formed via weak hydrogen‐bonding interactions between O atoms from per­chlorate anions and H atoms from 2,2′‐bioxazoline ligands.     

“Reduced” Coumarin Dyes with an O‐Phosphorylated 2,2‐Dimethyl‐4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline Fragment: Synthesis,Spectra, and STED Microscopy

Large Stokes‐shift coumarin dyes with an O‐phosphorylated 4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline fragment emitting in the blue, green, and red regions of the visible spectrum were synthesized. For this purpose, N‐substituted and O‐protected 1,2‐dihydro‐7‐hydroxy‐2,2,4‐trimethylquinoline was oxidized with SeO₂ to the corresponding α,β‐unsaturated aldehyde and then reduced with NaBH₄ in a “one‐pot” fashion to yield N‐substituted and 7‐O‐protected 4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐7‐hydroxy‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline as a common precursor to all the coumarin dyes reported here. The photophysical properties of the new dyes (“reduced coumarins”) and 1,2‐dihydroquinoline analogues (formal precursors) with a trisubstituted C=C bond were compared. The “reduced coumarins” were found to be more photoresistant and brighter than their 1,2‐dihydroquinoline counterparts. Free carboxylate analogues, as well as their antibody conjugates (obtained from N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl esters) were also prepared. All studied conjugates with secondary antibodies afforded high specificity and were suitable for fluorescence microscopy. The red‐emitting coumarin dye bearing a betaine fragment at the C‐3‐position showed excellent performance in stimulation emission depletion (STED) microscopy.     

Tetrakis(μ‐2,3‐dimethoxybenzoato)bis[(2,2′‐bipyridine)(2,3‐dimethoxybenzoato)lanthanum(III)]

The title compound, tetrakis(μ‐2,3‐di­methoxy­benzoato)‐κ⁴O:O′;κ⁶O,O′:O′‐bis[(2,2′‐bi­pyridine‐N,N′)(2,3‐di­methoxy­benzoato‐O,O′)lanthanum(III)], [La₂(2,3‐DMOBA)₆(2,2′‐bpy)₂], where 2,3‐DMOBA is 2,3‐di­methoxy­benzoate (C₉H₉O₄) and 2,2′‐bpy is 2,2′‐bi­pyridine (C₁₀H₈N₂), is a dimer with a centre of inversion between the La atoms bridged by four carboxyl­ate ligands. The central La atom is ennea‐coordinated and has a distorted monocapped square‐antiprism geometry.     

Synthesis,structural characterization and thermal properties of a new copper(II) one‐dimensional coordination polymer based on bridging N,N′‐bis(2‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐2,2‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diamine and dicyanamide ligands

The design and synthesis of polymeric coordination compounds of 3d transition metals are of great interest in the search for functional materials. The coordination chemistry of the copper(II) ion is of interest currently due to potential applications in the areas of molecular biology and magnetochemistry. A novel coordination polymer of Cu^II with bridging N,N′‐bis(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diamine (H₂L‐DM) and dicyanamide (dca) ligands, catena‐poly[[[μ₂‐2,2‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis(2‐oxidobenzylidene)propane‐1,3‐diamine‐1:2κ⁶O,N,N′,O′:O,O′]dicopper(II)]‐di‐μ‐dicyanamido‐1:2′κ²N¹:N⁵;2:1′κ²N¹:N⁵], [Cu₂(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)(C₂N₃)₂]_n, has been synthesized and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis and X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction analysis. Structural studies show that the Cu^II centres in the dimeric asymmetric unit adopt distorted square‐pyramidal geometries, as confirmed by the Addison parameter (τ) values. The chelating characteristics of the L‐DM²⁻ ligand results in the formation of a Cu^II dimer with a double phenolate bridge in the asymmetric unit. In the crystal, the dimeric units are further linked to adjacent dimeric units through μ_1,5‐dca bridges to produce one‐dimensional polymeric chains.     

Dichloro­(4,4′‐dialkyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ2N,N′)platinum(II), where alkyl is pentyl and heptyl

Dichloro­(4,4′‐dipentyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ²N,N′)platinum(II), [PtCl₂(C₂₀H₂₈N₂)], adopts a discrete π–π stacking structure, where the alkyl chains are located in a random manner. In contrast, dichloro­(4,4′‐diheptyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ²N,N′)platinum(II), [PtCl₂(C₂₄H₃₆N₂)], forms a layer structure comprised of alkyl chain layers and paired coordination sites, as observed for analogous complexes with longer alkyl chains.     

Novel thermoresponsive fluorinated double‐hydrophilic poly{[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide]‐b‐[N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide]} block copolymers

Novel thermoresponsive double‐hydrophilic fluorinated block copolymers were successfully synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Poly[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide] (P2F) was synthesized via RAFT polymerization of N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide (M2F) using 2‐dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl‐2‐methylpropionic acid (DMP) as the chain transfer agent (CTA) and 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The resulting P2F macroCTA was further chain extended with N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide (M1F) to yield poly{[N‐(2,2‐difluoroethyl)acrylamide]‐b‐[N‐(2‐fluoroethyl)acrylamide]} (P2F‐b‐P1F) block copolymers with different lengths of the P1F block. Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution were determined by gel permeation chromatography. The average molecular weight (M_n) of the resulting polymers ranged from 2.9 × 10⁴ to 5.8 × 10⁴ depending on the length of the P1F block. The molecular weight distribution was low (M_w/M_n = 1.11–1.19). Turbidimetry by UV‐Visble (UV‐Vis) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and in situ temperature‐dependent ¹H NMR measurements demonstrated that the P2F block underwent a thermal transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, which in turn induced self‐assembly from unimers to aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrated that polymeric aggregates formed from an aqueous solution of P2F‐b‐P1F at 60 °C were disrupted by cooling down to 20 °C and regenerated by heating to 60 °C. Temperature‐triggered release of a model hydrophobic drug, coumarin 102, was also demonstrated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

catena‐Poly[[[N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)propane‐1,3‐diaminato]cobalt(III)]‐μ‐azido] and catena‐poly[[[N,N′‐bis(salicyl­idene)propane‐1,3‐diaminato]cobalt(III)]‐μ‐thio­cyanato]

The two title complexes, catena‐poly[[{2,2′‐[1,3‐propane­diylbis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenolato}cobalt(III)]‐μ‐azido], [Co(C₁₇H₁₆N₂O₂)(N₃)]_n, (I), and catena‐poly[[{2,2′‐[1,3‐propane­diylbis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenolato}cobalt(III)]‐μ‐thio­cyanato], [Co(C₁₇H₁₆N₂O₂)(NCS)]_n, (II), are isomorphous polynuclear cobalt(III) compounds. In both structures, the Co^III atom is six‐coordinated in an octa­hedral configuration by two N atoms and two O atoms of one Schiff base, and two terminal N or S atoms from two bridging ligands. The [N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)propane‐1,3‐diaminato]cobalt(III) moieties are linked by the bridging ligands, viz. azide in (I) and thio­cyanate in (II), giving zigzag polymeric chains with backbones of the type [–Co—N—N—N—Co]_n in (I) or [–Co—N—C—S—Co]_n in (II) running along the c axis.     

The heteroscorpionate ligand 2,2‐bis(3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐yl)‐1,1‐diphenylethanol and an easy preparation of its tungsten complex

The heteroscorpionate ligand 2,2‐bis(3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐yl)‐1,1‐diphenylethanol, C₂₄H₂₆N₄O, features in the solid state an intramolecular O—H…N hydrogen bond. A heteroscorpionate tungsten complex, cis‐[2,2‐bis(3,5‐dimethylpyrazolyl)‐1,1‐diphenylethanolato]chloridodioxidotungsten(VI) tetrahydrofuran monosolvate, [W(C₂₄H₂₅N₄O)ClO₂]·C₄H₈O, was prepared by the simple mixing of solutions of the ligand and WOCl₄ in tetrahydrofuran. The tungsten complex was isolated after standing for several weeks. The complex exhibits a κ³N,N′,O‐coordination of the ligand. This simple synthetic procedure allows access to the cis isomer in high yield without additional purification steps. The Hirshfeld surface analysis shows a change of the intermolecular contacts due to the coordination of the WO₂Cl unit with the ligand molecule.     

N,N′‐Bis(2‐hydroxybenzylidene)pentane‐1,5‐diamine

In the title potential O,N,N′,O′‐tetradentate Schiff base ligand {systematic name: 2,2′‐[pentane‐1,5‐diylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenol}, C₁₉H₂₂N₂O₂, the mutual orientation of the three planar fragments determines the conformation of the molecule. The dihedral angles between the planes of the two salicylidene groups and the plane of the central extended pentane chain are 78.4 (2) and 62.0 (3)°, and the angle between the terminal ring planes is 55.4 (1)°. Strong intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bonds close almost‐planar six‐membered rings, and the O—H bonds are elongated as a result of hydrogen‐bond formation.     

Axially Dissymmetric Chiral (R)‐N,W‐Bis(2‐hydroxy‐3,5‐ditert‐butyl‐arylmethyl)‐1, 1′‐binaphthalene‐2,2′‐diamine as Chiral Ligands in the Reaction of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes†

Chiral ligand (A)‐N,N′‐Bis(2‐hydroxy‐3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐arylmethyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2,2′‐diamine derived from the reduction of Schiff base (R)‐2,2′‐bis (3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2‐hydroxybenzylideneamino)‐1, 1′‐binaphthyl with LiAlH₄, is fairly effective in the asymmetric addition reaction of diethylzinc to aldehydes by which good yields (46%‐94%) of the corresponding sec‐alcohols can be obtained in moderate ee (51%‐79%) with R configuration for a variety of aldehydes.     

Three one‐dimensional coordination polymers based on 1,1′‐bis(pyridin‐4‐ylmethyl)‐2,2′‐bi‐1H‐benzimidazole and HgX2 (X = Cl,Br and I)

A new 2,2′‐bi‐1H‐benzimidazole bridging organic ligand, namely 1,1′‐bis(pyridin‐4‐ylmethyl)‐2,2′‐bi‐1H‐benzimidazole, C₂₆H₂₀N₆, L or (I), has been synthesized and used to create three new one‐dimensional coordination polymers, viz.catena‐poly[[dichloridomercury(II)]‐μ‐1,1′‐bis(pyridin‐4‐ylmethyl)‐2,2′‐bi‐1H‐benzimidazole], [HgCl₂(C₂₆H₂₀N₆)]_n, (II), and the bromido, [HgBr₂(C₂₆H₂₀N₆)]_n, (III), and iodido, [HgI₂(C₂₆H₂₀N₆)]_n, (IV), analogues. Free ligand L crystallizes with two symmetry‐independent half‐molecules in the asymmetric unit and each L molecule resides on a crytallographic inversion centre. In structures (II)–(IV), the L ligand is also positioned on a crystallographic inversion centre, whereas the Hg centre resides on a crystallographic twofold axis. Compound (I) adopts an anti conformation in the solid state and forms a two‐dimensional network in the crystallographic bc plane viaπ–π and C—H...π interactions. The three Hg^II coordination complexes, (II)–(IV), have one‐dimensional zigzag chains composed of L and HgX₂ (X = Cl, Br and I), and the Hg^II centres are in a distorted tetrahedral [HgX₂N₂] coordination geometry. Complexes (III) and (IV) are isomorphous, whereas complex (II) displays an interesting conformational difference from the others, i.e. a twist in the flexible bridging ligand.     

A host–guest complex of di­aqua­bis­[1‐hydroxy‐2(1H)‐pyridine­thionato‐O,S]­magnesium(II) and 2,2′‐di­thio­bis­(pyridine N‐oxide)

The title compound, [Mg(C₅H₄NOS)₂(H₂O)₂]·C₁₀H₈N₂O₂S₂, is a two‐component host–guest material. The 2,2′‐di­thio­bis(pyridine N‐oxide) molecule has crystallographic twofold symmetry. The metal complex lies on an inversion centre and associates via C—H?S interactions into chains which thread the 2,2′‐di­thio­bis­(pyridine N‐oxide) lattice in perpendicular directions. Hydro­gen bonds exist between the water mol­ecules of the di­aqua­magnesium units and the N—O groups of the host lattice.     

Bis­[(2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diamine‐κ2N,N′)(piperidine‐2‐car­boxylato‐κ2N,O)­platinum(II)] sulfate

The title compound, [Pt(C₆H₁₀NO₂)(C₅H₁₄N₂)]₂(SO₄), crystallizes with two cations in the asymmetric unit. The two complex cations, which have a square‐planar Pt^II coordination, are chemically identical but differ slightly in the conformations of their amine groups. A neutral complex, viz. (2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­di­amine‐κ²N,N′)bis(2‐piperidine­carb­oxyl­ato‐κN)platinum(II), is shown to form in solution and to change rapidly into the title compound.     

[N,N′‐Bis(5‐bromo­salicyl­idene)‐1,3‐di­amino­propane]­nickel(II) and [N,N′‐­bis(5‐chloro­salicyl­idene)‐1,3‐­di­amino­propane]copper(II)

The title compounds, {4,4′‐di­bromo‐2,2′‐[1,3‐propane­diyl­bis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne‐N)]­diphenolato‐O,O′}nickel(II), [Ni(C₁₇­H₁₄­Br₂­N₂O₂)], and {4,4′‐di­chloro‐2,2′‐[1,3‐pro­pane­diyl­bis­(ni­trilo­methyl­idyne‐N)]­di­phen­ol­ato‐O,O′}­copper(II), [Cu­(C₁₇­H₁₄­Cl₂­N₂O₂)], lie on crystallographic twofold axes. In both structures, the metal coordination sphere is a tetrahedrally distorted square plane formed by the four‐coordinate N₂O₂ donor set of the Schiff base imine–phenol ligands. In the Ni compound, the Ni—O and Ni—N distances are 1.908 (3) and 1.959 (4) Å, respectively, while in the Cu compound, the Cu—O and Cu—N distances are 1.907 (2) and 1.960 (2) Å, respectively. The two Schiff base moieties, which themselves are nearly planar, are inclined at an angle of 29.26 (7)° for the Ni compound and 29.26 (5)° for the Cu compound.     

Tris(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ2N,N′)iron(II) bis(2,4,5‐tricarboxybenzoate) monohydrate and tris(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ2N,N′)iron(II) 2,5‐dicarboxybenzene‐1,4‐dicarboxylate–benzene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracarboxylic acid–water (1/1/2)

The title compounds, tris(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ²N,N′)iron(II) bis(2,4,5‐tricarboxybenzoate) monohydrate, [Fe(C₁₂H₈N₂)₃](C₁₀H₅O₈)₂·H₂O, (I), and tris(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ²N,N′)iron(II) 2,5‐dicarboxybenzene‐1,4‐dicarboxylate–benzene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracarboxylic acid–water (1/1/2), [Fe(C₁₀H₈N₂)₃](C₁₀H₄O₈)·C₁₀H₆O₈·2H₂O, (II), were obtained during an attempt to synthesize a mixed‐ligand complex of Fe^II with an N‐containing ligand and benzene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracarboxylic acid via a solvothermal reaction. In both mononuclear complexes, each Fe^II metal ion is six‐coordinated in a distorted octahedral manner by six N atoms from three chelating 1,10‐phenanthroline or 2,2′‐bipyridine ligands. In compound (I), the Fe^II atom lies on a twofold axis in the space group C2/c, whereas (II) crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n. In both compounds, the uncoordinated carboxylate anions and water molecules are linked by typical O—H...O hydrogen bonds, generating extensive three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bond networks which surround the cations.     

(2,2′‐Biquinoline‐κ2N,N′)dichloropalladium(II), ‐copper(II) and ‐zinc(II)

In the three title complexes, namely (2,2′‐biquinoline‐κ²N,N′)dichloro­palladium(II), [PdCl₂(C₁₈H₁₂N₂)], (I), and the corresponding copper(II), [CuCl₂(C₁₈H₁₂N₂)], (II), and zinc(II) complexes, [ZnCl₂(C₁₈H₁₂N₂)], (III), each metal atom is four‐coordinate and bonded by two N atoms of a 2,2′‐biquinoline molecule and two Cl atoms. The Pd^II atom has a distorted cis‐square‐planar coordination geometry, whereas the Cu^II and Zn^II atoms both have a distorted tetra­hedral geometry. The dihedral angles between the N—M—N and Cl—M—Cl planes are 14.53 (13), 65.42 (15) and 85.19 (9)° for (I), (II) and (III), respectively. The structure of (II) has twofold imposed symmetry.