Synthesis,Crystal Structure,and Magnetic Properties of {[Cu(phen)]2(C4H2O4)2} · 4.5H2O with C4H4O4 = Maleic Acid

Reaction of CuCl₂ · 2H₂O, phenanthroline, maleic acid and NaOH in CH₃OH/H₂O (1:1 v/v) at pH = 7.0 yielded blue {[Cu(phen)]₂(C₄H₂O₄)₂} · 4.5H₂O, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c (no. 15) with cell dimensions: a = 18.127(2)Å, b = 12.482(2)Å, c = 14.602(2)Å, β = 103.43(1)°, U = 3213.5(8)ų, Z = 4. The crystal structure consists of the centrosymmetric dinuclear {[Cu(phen)]₂(C₄H₂O₄)₂} complex molecules and hydrogen bonded H₂O molecules. The Cu atoms are each square‐pyramidally coordinated by two N atoms of one phen ligand and three carboxyl O atoms of two maleato ligands with one carboxyl O atom at the apical position (d(Cu‐N) = 2.008, 2.012Å, equatorial d(Cu‐O) = 1.933, 1.969Å, axial d(Cu‐O) = 2.306Å). Two square‐pyramids are condensed via two apical carboxyl O atoms with a relatively larger Cu···Cu separation of 3.346(1)Å. The dinuclear complex molecules are assembled via the intermolecular π—π stacking interactions into 1D ribbons. Crossover of the resulting ribbons via interribbon π—π stacking interactions forms a 3D network with the tunnels occupied by H₂O molecules. The title complex behaves paramagnetically between 5—300 K, following the Curie‐Weiss law _χm(T—θ) = 0.435 cm³ · mol^—1 · K with θ = 1.59 K.