Structural diversity in dinickel(II) complexes of thiosemicarbazones

2,6-Diformyl-p-cresol serves as a starting point for the generation of multidentate N/O/S chelating agents. Condensation with 4-(X-phenyl) thiosemicarbazide yields the pentadentate ligand having SNONS donor sequences, capable of holding two metal ions in close proximity. The ligands behave as mono/di/tri basic depending on the pH of the medium. Stereochemical diversity in the reaction product of such ligands with nickel(II) chloride at different pH is observed. Sterically demanding substituted ligands in association with various exogenous bridges dictate the geometry and coordination number of such complexes. The compounds were investigated by elemental analysis, molar conductivities, electronic spectra, IR, NMR, FAB mass spectra, TG-DTG, magnetic susceptibility measurements. Varieties of geometries such as square planar, square pyramidal, octahedral and square planar–square pyramidal are observed. Cryomagnetic data for the complexes (79–296 K) can be reproduced by an equation based on the Heisenberg model (H=−2JS₁S₂, S₁=S₂=1). The singlet–triplet splitting, J varies systematically with the coordination geometry about the Ni₂(SNONS) core, with the hydroxo bridged complex exhibiting the greatest degree of antiferromagnetic coupling. The coupling is somewhat weaker for the chloro-bridged complexes. None of the complexes have shown any appreciable antimicrobial activity.