A chiral supramolecular architecture [Cu2(4,40-bipyridine)2 (sala)2]n$4.5nH2O(salaZN-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-L-alanine anion)

A chiral supramolecular architecture, [Cu2(4,40-bipy)2(sala)2]n$4.5nH2O (1) (salaZN-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-L-alanine anion), has been synthesized by the reaction of Cu(NO3)2$2H2O with 4,40-bipyridine (4,40-bipy) and N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-L-alanine (H2sala) in basic ethanol/aqueous solution. X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis reveals that complex 1 has a 3D extended structure in which the mononuclear anions [Cu(sala)2]2K are bonded to [Cu(4,40-bipy)2]2C cations through Cu–O bond at a distance of 2.528 A° . One Cu(II) center is in lengthened octahedral geometry and another one is in planar square environment. The cyclic voltammetry shows that two Cu(II) centers have different electrochemical properties. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.