Molecular structure and magnetic properties of [Gd(LH4)(NO3)2(H2O)]NO3(H2O)2, [Sm(LH4)(NO3)2(H2O)]NO3 (H2O)1.5(CH3OH)0.5 and [Cu2(LH2)(H2O)2](NO3)2 complexes (LH4: Schiff base ligand derived from 4-methyl-2,6-diformylphenol and 1,3-diaminopropanol)

Novel lanthanide(III) complexes (Ln=Gd (1), Sm (2), La (3)) of the macrocyclic ligand LH4 have been prepared and characterized. The binuclear copper(II) complex (Cu2(LH2)(H2O)2)(NO3)2 (4), has been obtained by transmetalation of complex 3 with Cu(CF3COO)2. The macrocyclic Schiff base ligand (LH4) is formed by the condensation of two molecules of 4-methyl-2,6-diformylphenol with two molecules of 1,3-diaminopropanol in the presence of the lanthanide ions. The alcohol group of the macrocycle does not coordinate to the copper(II) centers of the binuclear complex. However, one of the secondary alcohol groups of the ligand coordinates in an asymmetric mode to the lanthanide ion in the corresponding three complexes. The X-ray crystal structures of (Gd(LH4)(NO3)2(H2O))(NO3)(H2O)2 (1), (Sm(LH4)(NO3)2(H2O))(NO3)(H2O)1.5(CH3OH)0.5 (2), and (Cu2(LH2)(H2O)2)(NO3)2 (4) have been determined. Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the 5–300 K range were obtained for these complexes.