Chromotropism studies on copper(II) compounds. Part II. Dinuclear copper(II) complexes with triply-bridged hydroxo, acetate, and halo ligands

Abstract

Two triply-bridged dinuclear copper(II) complexes of formula [LCu(μ-OH)(μ-OAc)(μ-X)CuL]X⋅0.5H2O where L is a bidentate ligand of N-(pyridine-2-ylmethyl)propane-2-amine and X=Cl, 1 and Br, 2 were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV–Vis, EPR), thermal analysis, conductance measurements, and single-crystal X-ray structure determination. The structures of both complexes are similar. The complexes show a distorted square-pyramidal arrangement around each copper(II) ion with a CuN2O2X chromophore in which both copper(II) ions are connected by a hydroxo bridge and a triatomic syn-syn carboxylato bridge in equatorial positions and a halide ion bridge at the axial site. The chromotropism behavior of the complexes, including solvato-, thermo-, and halochromism, were investigated in detail. Their halochromism was investigated in the pH range of 2.0–11.0 by visible absorption spectroscopy. The reversible color variations from blue to colorless are attributable to deprotonation and protonation of the ligands. The complexes show reversible thermochromism in solution due to dissociation and recombination of ligands to copper ions.