Synthesis and molecular structure of the first binuclear {(bis-N-isophthaloyl ureato) copper(II)pyridine}2 complex derived from the {(bis-N-isophthaloyl-selenoureato) copper(II)}2 complex by O for Se atom exchange

The bipodal ligand 3,3,3',3'-tetraethyl-1,1'-isophthaloyl-bis(selenourea) (H2L1) forms a 2:2 copper(II) complex [Cu-2(L-1)(2)], the crystal and molecular structure and EPR spectrum of which are reported. Treatment of [Cu-2(L-1)(2)] with excess pyridine results in the formation of a novel (bis-N-acylureato)copper(II) 1:2 pyridine adduct [Cu-2(L-2)(2)(py)(2)], characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and EPR spectroscopy, as a consequence of facile Se replacement by 0 presumably due to hydrolysis of water present in the mixture. The latter complex forms a one-dimensional supramolecular architecture in the solid state, stabilized via pi-stacking interactions between alternate Cu-coordinated pyridine molecules. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.