Nickel(II)-, cobalt(II)-, copper(II)-, and zinc(II)-phthalate and 1-methylimidazole coordination compounds: synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties

Three new coordination polymers [M(Pht)(1-MeIm)₂]_n (where M=Cu (1), Zn (2), Co (3); Pht²⁻=dianion of o-phthalic acid; 1-MeIm=1-methylimidazole) and two compounds [M(1-MeIm)₆](HPht)₂ · 2H₂O (M=Co (4), Ni (5)) have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The structures of 1-3 (2 is isostructural to 3) consist of [M(1-MeIm)₂] building units connected by 1,6-bridging phthalate ions to form infinite chains. In complex 1, each copper(II) center adopts a square coordination mode of N₂O₂ type by two O atoms from different phthalate ions and two N atoms of 1-MeIm, whereas in 3 two independent metal atoms are tetrahedrally (N₂O₂) coordinated to a pair of Pht ligands and a pair of 1-MeIm molecules. There are only van der Waals interactions between the chains in 1, while the three-dimensional network in 3 is assembled by C-H?O contacts. In contrast to polymers 1-3 the structures of 4 and 5 (complexes are also isostructural) are made up of the [M(1-MeIm)₆]²⁺ cation, two hydrogen phthalate anions (HPht⁻) and two H₂O solvate molecules. The coordination around each metal(II) atom is octahedral with six nitrogen atoms of 1-MeIm. Extended hydrogen bonding networks embracing the solvate water molecules and a phthalate residue as well as the weak C-H?O interactions stabilize the three-dimensional structures. Magnetic studies clearly show that the magnetic ions do not interact with each other. Furthermore, in compound 4 we have another example of a highly anisotropic Co²⁺ ion with a rhombic g-tensor and large zero-field-splitting. The complexes were also characterized by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and all data are discussed in the terms of known structures.