Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis of Mixed Ligand Copper(II) Complex

•A mixed ligand copper(II) complex has been synthesized and characterized.•The copper centre in complex is square-pyramidal in geometry with an N2O3 donor set.•The intermolecular hydrogen bonding leads to the formation of dimers.•Hirshfeld surface analysis shows strong intermolecular interactions. [Display omitted] A mixed ligand copper(II) complex [Cu(naph)(bpy)]NO3•H2O, where, naph = 1-formylnaphthalen-2-olate and bpy= 2,2′-bipyridine has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques and finally the structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. The compound crystallized in monoclinic space group P21/n. The geometry around copper center is square-pyramidal with an N2O3 donor set involving coordination from two nitrogen's of 2,2′-bipyridine, two oxygen's from 1-formylnaphthalen-2-olate and one oxygen from nitrate anion. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the oxygen's of coordinated nitrate anion/water of crystallization and hydrogens of aromatic moiety / water of crystallization results in the formation of 3D supramolecular architecture that stabilizes the crystal structure. The bright larger red spots on the Hirshfeld surface indicate the presence of C–H…O interactions between the aromatic CH groups of 2,2′-bipyridine and the apically coordinated oxygen atom of the NO3.