Synthesis of mono- and heterodinuclear complexes with unsymmetrical phenol-based dicompartmental ligand containing hexa- and tetradentate coordination sites: An unusual methyl elimination in coordination chemistry

► Heterodinuclear complexes with phenol-based dicompartmental ligand were synthesized. ► Dicompartmental ligand contains a hexa-(N4O2) and tetra-coordination (O2N2) sites. ► Heterodinuclear complexes are Zn-Cu(II) and Zn-Ni(II). ► Zn(II) resides in the N4O2- and M(II) located in O2N2-coordination sites. ► Upon addition of M(II) ions an unusual methyl elimination occurred.