A dinuclear copper(II) compound of a bis(imidazole)-containing tripodal ligand: Crystal structure and EPR spectroscopic studies

The dinuclear compound, 1, with the molecular formula of [Cu2(H3L)2(ClO4)2][Cu2(H3L)2(MeCN)2](ClO4)6 was prepared by the reaction of [bis-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-methyl]-pyridin-2-yl-methylamine (H3L) with copper(II) perchlorate. The asymmetric unit of the crystal structure of 1 contains two dinuclear units, [Cu2(H3L)2(ClO4)2]2+ and [Cu2(H3L)2(MeCN)2]4+ (abbreviated as 1ClO4 and 1MeCN), respectively, and they are linked through hydrogen bonding between the oxygen atom from the axial coordinated perchlorate anions and one of the neighboring imidazole rings from 1MeCN. EPR spectroscopic studies of 1 in MeOH by addition of bridging ligands including NaN3 and NaOH were carried out and the reaction process was discussed.