Synthesis, structures and magnetic properties of 2-aminomethylpyridine–Ni(II) complexes

A family of complexes of Ni(II), 2-aminomethylpyridine (ampy) and tricyanomethanide (tcm) have been prepared and studied by IR, X-ray crystallography and variable temperature susceptibility. The complexes synthesized include [Ni(ampy)3](ClO4)2 (1), [Ni(ampy)3](tcm)(PF6) (2), [Ni(ampy)3](PF6)2 (3), [Ni(ampy)2(H2O)2]Cl2 (4), and [Ni(ampy)2(tcm)2] (5). No coordination polymers of tcm were obtained. The magnetic behavior of the complexes, and the known material [Ni(ampy)(NO3)2], is dominated by single-ion anisotropy effects with D-values in the range of −2 to −12 K, although some compounds show a weak antiferromagnetic interaction.