Polynuclear and tetranuclear cuprous iodide complexes derived from N-(2-thienylmethylidene)-2-pyridylamine derivatives

The reaction of bidentate thienyl Schiff base derivatives, R–Th–CN–Py (R = H, 3-Me, 5-Me, and 5-Br), with copper(I) iodide under mild conditions in acetonitrile yields (i) two one-dimensional coordination polymer chain complexes with alternating six-membered and four-membered metallocycles, [Cu2(C4H3SCHNC5H4N)(μ2-I)(μ3-I)]n, (1) and [Cu2(3-Me-C4H2SCHNC5H4N)(μ2-I)(μ3-I)]n (2), and (ii) two discrete chair-pyramidal shaped tetranuclear complexes, Cu4(5-Me-C4H2SCHNC5H4N)2(μ2-I)2(μ3-I)2 (3) and Cu4(5-Br–C4H2SCHNC5H4N)2(μ2-I)2(μ3-I)2 (4). These complexes are characterized spectrally. The molecular structures of 1, 2, 3 and 4 were established in detail by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The polymer chain structure of 2 is found to be extended into a two-dimensional supramolecular network through hydrogen-bonded interactions.

Graphical abstractThienyl Schiff bases R–Th–CHN–Py react with copper(I) iodide to yield 1-D polymer chain complex [Cu2(R–Th–CHN–Py)(μ2-I)(μ3-I)]n, if R = H or 3-Me, and chair-pyramidal tetranuclear complex, [Cu4(R–Th–CHN–Py)(μ2-I)2(μ3-I)2], if R = 5-Me or 5-Br. The polymer chain structure is found to be extended into a 2- or 3-D supramolecular network through hydrogen-bonded interactions.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide