A tetra-nuclear copper(II) complex stabilizes an extended structure of a water nonamer: Synthesis and characterization of [Cu4(C54H46N4O14)(OH)2] · 10H2O

A tetra-nuclear copper(II) complex [Cu₄(C₅₄H₄₆N₄O₁₄)(OH)₂] · 10H₂O (1) has been synthesized starting from l-tyrosine, NaOH, 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol (dfp) and CuSO₄ · 5H₂O. Compound 1 crystallizes from an ethanol–water mixture in triclinic space group. In the crystal of 1, two binuclear copper units, related by a center of symmetry, are bridged by two hydroxo bridges and results in the formation of a tetra-nuclear {Cu₄} structure. Five lattice water molecules, located in the asymmetric unit, interact among themselves and form an unusual form of a water nonamer. In the crystal, the water nonamer is again hydrogen bonded to the next nonamer forming a chainlike polymer. Each {Cu₄} complex unit attaches four such water nonamer chains. Variable temperature magnetic data fit to the Bleaney–Bower’s equation with a Curie type of impurity of S = 0.5. The best fit of the magnetic data to this equation yielded 2J = −217, g = 2.019 and a TIP value of 60 × 10⁻⁶ cm³ mol⁻¹.