Alternating ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions in the azido-bridged copper(II) chain compound [Cu(phen)(N3)2]n

Single crystals of a copper(II) chain compound^sup **^, [Cu(phen)(N^sub 3^)^sub 2^]^sub n^ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), were obtained and its crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The complex crystallizes in the space group P1¯ and is made up of neutral chains of copper(II) ions bridged by two azide groups exhibiting an asymmetrical tri-dentate μ(1,1,3) coordination mode. The copper atoms have a distorted CuN^sub 6^ octahedral environment: the basal plane is built of two nitrogen atoms from a chelating phen molecule and two azide nitrogens from one bridging and one terminal azide, whereas two nitrogens from two bridging azides fill the axial positions. The intrachain copper(II)-copper(II) separation is 3.396(1) and 5.700(1) Å. The magnetic behavior was investigated in the 5-300 K range. Weak intrachain alternating antiferromagnetic (J = -6.56 cm^sup -1^) and ferromagnetic (αJ = 12.76 cm^sup -1^) interactions were observed.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]