Structural studies of (prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine hetero-scorpionate copper complexes.

The structures of five compounds consisting of (prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine complexed with copper in both the Cu(I) and Cu(II) oxidation states are presented, namely chlorido{(prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine-κ(3)N,N',N''}copper(I) 0.18-hydrate, [CuCl(C15H17N3)]·0.18H2O, (1), catena-poly[[copper(I)-μ2-(prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine-κ(5)N,N',N'':C(2),C(3)] perchlorate acetonitrile monosolvate], {[Cu(C15H17N3)]ClO4·CH3CN}n, (2), dichlorido{(prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine-κ(3)N,N',N''}copper(II) dichloromethane monosolvate, [CuCl2(C15H17N3)]·CH2Cl2, (3), chlorido{(prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine-κ(3)N,N',N''}copper(II) perchlorate, [CuCl(C15H17N3)]ClO4, (4), and di-μ-chlorido-bis({(prop-2-en-1-yl)bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]amine-κ(3)N,N',N''}copper(II)) bis(tetraphenylborate), [Cu2Cl2(C15H17N3)2][(C6H5)4B]2, (5). Systematic variation of the anion from a coordinating chloride to a noncoordinating perchlorate for two Cu(I) complexes results in either a discrete molecular species, as in (1), or a one-dimensional chain structure, as in (2). In complex (1), there are two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Complex (2) consists of the Cu(I) atom coordinated by the amine and pyridyl N atoms of one ligand and by the vinyl moiety of another unit related by the crystallographic screw axis, yielding a one-dimensional chain parallel to the crystallographic b axis. Three complexes with Cu(II) show that varying the anion composition from two chlorides, to a chloride and a perchlorate to a chloride and a tetraphenylborate results in discrete molecular species, as in (3) and (4), or a bridged bis-μ-chlorido complex, as in (5). Complex (3) shows two strongly bound Cl atoms, while complex (4) has one strongly bound Cl atom and a weaker coordination by one perchlorate O atom. The large noncoordinating tetraphenylborate anion in complex (5) results in the core-bridged Cu2Cl2 moiety.