Structure and magnetism of two new linear trinuclear copper(II) clusters obtained from the tetradentate N2O2 ligand bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-diaminopropane

Reaction of bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-diaminopropane (H2bhbd) with copper(II) perchlorate or copper(II) chloride in methanol leads to clusters holding a linear array of three cupric ions. These coordination compounds were fully characterized. Both trinuclear complexes show strong antiferromagnetic interactions between the adjacent CuII ions (J = −303(1) and −482(3) cm−1, respectively) resulting in S = 1/2 ground states fully populated below 150 K. A correlation between the interaction parameter J and the angles within the trinuclear clusters is proposed.