Cu(II) Schiff-base complex with [N3O] binding site and a pendant S-methylisothiosemicarbazide arm

A neutral four-coordinate CuIIN3O complex with Shiff base ligand, product of template assembling of two S-methylisothiosemicarbazide units with benzoylacetone and nitromalondialdehyde, was synthesized by two steps procedure via CuIIN2O2 chelate precursor and was fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV–Vis, ESR spectra and magnetochemistry. X-ray analysis confirms its structural assignment. The assembling ligand assumes an acyclic structure of ‘4+1’ type where a non-bonding interaction between the metal and the amino group of one S-methylisothiosemicarbazide unit takes place.