Scalene-tricopper(II) bridged by 5-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties

New scalene tricopper complex [CuII3(HImbm)(bipy)6](ClO4)4 · 3CH3OH · 4H2O (1) (H3Imbm = 5-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid, bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) was synthesized. X-ray analysis reveals that 1 crystallizes in monoclinic P2(1)/c. Complex 1 can be described as three terminal [Cu(bpy)2]2 + units bridged by one asymmetric H3Imbm ligand with its peripheral three chelating pockets to capture three Cu atoms in a scalene-triangular geometry. The variable-temperature magnetic measurement was recorded for the crystallographically characterized 1, and the magnetic response was analyzed very well using a scalene triangle Cu3 model, indicating a dominant antiferromagnetic coupling with J12 = − 44.3 cm− 1, J23 = − 27.3 cm− 1, and g = 2.08, given J13 = 0.