Synthesis, and structural characterization of mixed ligand copper(II) complexes of N,N,N′,N'-tetramethylethylenediamine incorporating carboxylates

Abstract

Two ternary copper(II) complexes of N,N,N′,N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (tmen = C6H16N2) with benzoic acid and p-aminobenzoic acid, having the formula [Cu(tmen)(BA)2(H2O)2] (1), and [Cu(tmen)(pABA)2]. 1/2 CH3OH (2) {(Where BA1− = benzoate1− (C6H5CO21−), pABA1− = p-aminobenzoate1- (p-H2NC6H5CO21−)} have been prepared and characterized by elemental combustion analysis, Uv–Visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The complex 1 is a monomer with distorted octahedral geometry. In its CuN2O4 chromophore, the Cu(II) centre is coordinated by two N atoms of a symmetrically chelating tmen ligand, by two carboxylate-O atoms from two monodentate benzoate1− anions, and by two apical aqua-O atoms, which define the distorted octahedral structure. The complex 2 is a monomer with a distorted square planar coordination geometry. In CuN2O2 chromophore, tmen is coordinated to Cu(II) ion in a chelating bidentate fashion, while the two p-aminobenzoate1- anions coordinate to Cu(II) centre through their carboxylate-O atoms in a monodentate manner, forming a square planar structure. The observed difference between asymmetric ѵas(OCO) and symmetric ѵs(OCO) stretching IR vibrations of the carboxylate moieties for 1 and 2 is 220 cm−1 and 232 cm−1, respectively, which suggests monodentate coordination mode (Δν OCO>200) of the carboxylate groups to Cu(II) ion. Thermogravimetric studies of 1 indicates removal of two water molecules at 171 °C, elimination of a tmen upto 529 °C and of two benzoate groups upto 931 °C. In tga curve of 2, methanol is lost upto 212 °C, while tmen is lost from 212 to 993 °C. The antibacterial activities of these new compounds against various bacterial strains were also investigated.