Direct electrochemical synthesis of copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of the tetradentate ligand N,N′-bis(2-pyridinecarboxamide)-2-aminobenzylamine (H2bpabza). The crystal structures of the ligand and its Cu(II) complex

The unsymmetrical ligand H2bpabza has been prepared in good yield using TBAB as the reaction medium. The M(bpabza) complexes have been synthesized by electrochemical oxidation of anodic metals (M = Cu, Zn) in an acetonitrile solution of H2L. X-ray analysis revealed that the Cu(II) ion adopts a distorted square pyramidal (4 + 1) coordination in the solid state.