The effect of CuII ions in l-asparagine single crystals

We report the synthesis, crystal growth, and spectroscopic characterization of l-asparagine monohydrate (LAM) single crystals doped with CuII. The crystals were successfully grown by slow cooling from a supersaturated aqueous solution up to size of 16×12×2 mm3;the effect of copper impurities in the crystals morphology was discussed. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) was used to calculate the g and hyperfine coupling (A) tensors of the CuII ions (g1=2.044, g2=2.105, g3=2.383and A1≈0, A2=35, A3=108 Gauss). The EPR spectra for certain orientations of the magnetic field suggest that CuII ions are coordinated to two 14N atoms. Correlating the EPR and optical absorption results, the crystal field and the CuII orbital bond parameters were calculated. The results indicate that the paramagnetic center occupies interstitial rhombic distorted site and the ground orbital state for the unpaired electron is the d(x2-y2).