Spacer-controlled supramolecular assemblies of Cu(Ii) with Bis(2-hydroxyphenylimine) ligands. from monoligand complexes to double-stranded helicates and metallomacrocycles

Abstract

Reaction of Cu(NO3)2·3H2O or Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O with the bis(2-hydroxyphenylimine) ligands H2L1-H2L4 gave four Cu(II) complexes of composition [Cu2(L1)(NO3)2(H2O)]·MeOH, [Cu2(L2)2], [Cu2(L3)2] and [Cu2(L4)2]·2MeOH. Depending on the spacer unit, the structures are characterized by a dinuclear arrangement of Cu(II) within one ligand (H2L1), by a double-stranded [2 + 2] helical binding mode (H2L2 and H2L3) and a [2 + 2] metallomacrocycle formation (H2L4). In these complexes, the Cu(II) coordination geometries are quite different, varying between common square planar or square pyramidal arrangements, and rather rare pentagonal bipyramidal and tetrahedral geometries. In addition, solution studies of the complex formation using UV/Vis and ESI-MS as well as solvent extraction are reported.