Electrochemical synthesis and crystal structures of nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes with N,N′-bis[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]ethylenediamine

The electrochemical oxidation of anodic metal (nickel, copper, zinc and cadmium) in acetonitrile solutions containing N,N′-bis[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]ethylenediamine H2L and an additional nitrogen coligand, such as 1,10-phenanthroline, yielded mixed complexes of general formula [ML(phen)2] (M=Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd). The compounds have been characterized by microanalysis, IR and UV–Vis (Ni, Cu complexes) spectroscopy, FAB mass spectrometry, 1H NMR spectroscopic studies (Zn, Cd complexes) and EPR spectroscopy (Cu and Ni complexes). All compounds have also been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecular structures of these compounds consist of individual monomeric molecules in which the metal atom is in an [MN6] distorted octahedral environment.