Syntheses, structures and magnetic property of two copper complexes with cyclic dimer and 2D herringbone-like network built from helical motif

Two copper(II) complexes, Cu2{3,5-(NO2)2sal}2(2,2′-bipy)2 · 0.5H2O (1) and [Cu2{3,5-(NO2)2sal}2(4,4′-bipy)(H2O)2]n (2) (3,5-(NO2)2sal = 3,5-dinitrosalicylate), were synthesized by hydrothermal reactions and characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis. Complex 1 is in cyclic dimer structure. Complex 2 exhibits a novel 2D herringbone-like network structure built from helical motif. Variable temperature magnetic measurement reveals small ferromagnetic interactions in complex 1.