Structural studies of copper(II) complexes derived from di-2-pyridyl-ketone, (py)2CO

Reaction of ligand L with CuCl2·2H2O in DMF unexpectedly yielded the tetranuclear complex 1 via metal-catalysed hydrolysis of both DMF and ligand L. Notably 1 was not readily obtained from CuCl2·2H2O and dipyridylketone in DMF, instead forming monmeric and polymeric copper complexes.