Synthesis of copper(II) complexes with 3,5-bis(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-amine (L). Molecular and crystal structures of L and [Cu2L2Cl4]·2MeCN

A series of copper(II) complexes, i.e. Cu₂LCl₄, CuLCl₂·H₂O and [Cu₂L₂Cl₄]·2MeCN (8), based on a new potentially polytopic ligand, 3,5-bis(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-amine (3b, L), have been synthesized. The crystal structures of L and [Cu₂L₂Cl₄]·2MeCN were studied by X-ray single crystal analysis. The dinuclear compound [Cu₂L₂Cl₄]·2MeCN represents the first example of structurally characterized metal complexes with 3,5-di(pyrimidin-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-amines. Both copper atoms have distorted tetragonal-pyramidal 3N + 2Cl environment. Surprisingly, in contrast to the complexes based on 3,5-di(pyridin-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-amine (pyridinyl analog of L), the compound [Cu₂L₂Cl₄]·2MeCN adopts a dinuclear trans-(N′,N¹,N²)₂ double bridging binding mode which is due to tridentate coordination of two L molecules linking two copper atoms through N¹,N²-triazole and N′-pyrimidine atoms. It seems to be reasonable that it is methyl groups in pyrimidinyl moiety that obstruct the expected dinuclear (N′,N¹,N²,N″)₂ double bridging coordination being one of the most common for 4-substituted 3,5-di(pyridin-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazoles and 3,5-di(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazolates. Due to π-π stacking interactions, molecules of Cu₂L₂Cl₄ in the structure of [Cu₂L₂Cl₄]·2MeCN form 1D chains.