Structural studies of (prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine hetero‐scorpionate copper complexes

The structures of five compounds consisting of (prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine complexed with copper in both the CuI and CuII oxidation states are presented, namely chlorido{(prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine‐κ3N,N′,N′′}copper(I) 0.18‐hydrate, [CuCl(C15H17N3)]·0.18H2O, (1), catena‐poly[[copper(I)‐μ2‐(prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine‐κ5N,N′,N′′:C2,C3] perchlorate acetonitrile monosolvate], {[Cu(C15H17N3)]ClO4·CH3CN}n, (2), dichlorido{(prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine‐κ3N,N′,N′′}copper(II) dichloromethane monosolvate, [CuCl2(C15H17N3)]·CH2Cl2, (3), chlorido{(prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine‐κ3N,N′,N′′}copper(II) perchlorate, [CuCl(C15H17N3)]ClO4, (4), and di‐μ‐chlorido‐bis({(prop‐2‐en‐1‐yl)bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methylidene]amine‐κ3N,N′,N′′}copper(II)) bis(tetraphenylborate), [Cu2Cl2(C15H17N3)2][(C6H5)4B]2, (5). Systematic variation of the anion from a coordinating chloride to a noncoordinating perchlorate for two CuI complexes results in either a discrete molecular species, as in (1), or a one‐dimensional chain structure, as in (2). In complex (1), there are two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Complex (2) consists of the CuI atom coordinated by the amine and pyridyl N atoms of one ligand and by the vinyl moiety of another unit related by the crystallographic screw axis, yielding a one‐dimensional chain parallel to the crystallographic b axis. Three complexes with CuII show that varying the anion composition from two chlorides, to a chloride and a perchlorate to a chloride and a tetraphenylborate results in discrete molecular species, as in (3) and (4), or a bridged bis‐μ‐chlorido complex, as in (5). Complex (3) shows two strongly bound Cl atoms, while complex (4) has one strongly bound Cl atom and a weaker coordination by one perchlorate O atom. The large noncoordinating tetraphenylborate anion in complex (5) results in the core‐bridged Cu2Cl2 moiety.