Synthesis, characterization and X-ray crystal structures of copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes with potentially hexadentate Schiff base ligands

Copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes of potentially N2O4 Schiff base ligands 2-({[2-(2-{2-[(1-{2-hydroxy-5-[2-phenyl-1-diazenyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino] phenoxy}ethoxy) phenyl]imino}methyl)4-[2-phenyl-1-diazenyl]phenol (H2L1) and 2-({[2-(4-{2-[(1-{2-hydroxy-5-[2-phenyl-1-diazenyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino] phenoxy}butoxy) phenyl]imino}methyl)4-[2-phenyl-1-diazenyl]phenol (H2L2) prepared of 5-phenylazo salicylaldehyde (1) and two various diamines 2-[2-(2-aminophenoxy)ethoxy]aniline (2) and 2-[4-(2-aminophenoxy)butoxy]aniline (3) were synthesized and characterized by a variety of physico-chemical techniques. The single-crystal X-ray diffractions are reported for CuL1 and NiL2. The CuL1 complex contains copper(II) in a near square-planar environment of N2O2 donors. The NiL2 complex contains nickel(II) in a distorted octahedral geometry coordination of N2O4 donors. In all complexes, H2L1 behaves as a tetradentate and H2L2 acts as a hexadentate ligand. Cyclic voltammetry of copper(II) complexes indicate a quasi-reversible redox wave in the negative potential range.