Synthesis, structure, sorption and magnetic properties of Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with thiosemicarbazone of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, bridged by 4,4′-bipyridine

(ML)2(bipy) complexes (LH2 = thiosemicarbazone of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine, M = Ni(II), 1, or Cu(II), 2) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Compound 1 possessed porous structure due to peculiarities of crystal packing, whereas 2 formed infinite zig-zag chains with dense non-porous packing. It was shown that 1 absorbed 0.013 cm3/g of methanol vapor in two steps. Complex 1 was diamagnetic; for 2, the dependency of χ versus T could be interpreted by Bleaney–Bowers expression in 20–300 K temperature range (J = −6.8 cm−1, g = 2.07).