Exogenous bridging and nonbridging in Cu(II) complexes of Mannich base ligands: Synthesis and physical properties

Preparation of pentadentate ligands L¹, L², L³ and L⁴, where L¹ = 4-chloro-3-methyl-2[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]-6-[N-phenyl piperazin-1-yl)methyl]phenol, L² = 4-ethyl-2-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]-6-[(N-phenyl piperazin-1-yl)methyl]phenol, L³ = 4-chloro-3-methyl-2-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]-6-[N-methyl piperazin-1-yl]methyl phenol, L⁴ = 4-methoxy-2-[(prolin-1-yl)methyl]-6-[(N-phenyl piperazin-1-yl)methyl]phenol is described together with that of the corresponding Cu(II) complexes with various bridging motifs like OH, OAc and NO₂. The complexes are characterized by elemental analysis, electrochemical and electron paramagnetic spectral studies. Redox properties of the complexes in acetonitrile are highly quasireversible due to the chemical or/and stereochemical changes subsequent to electron transfer. The complexes show resolved copper hyperfine EPR at room temperature, indicating the presence of weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the copper atoms. Strengths of the antiferromagnetic interactions are in the order NO₂>OAc>OH.