A new structural type for a binuclear chloride-bridged copper(II) complex. Structural and magnetic characterization of di-μ-chloro-chloropentakis(benzimidazole) dicopper(II) monochloride tetrahydrate, [Cu2Cl3(C7H6N2)5]Cl·4H2O

The synthesis, crystal structure determination and magnetic properties of a new five-coordinated unsymmetrical copper(II) dinuclear complex Cu₂Cl₃(C₇H₆N₂)₅]Cl·4H₂O are reported. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pnma with 4 formula units in a cell of dimensions: a = 19.506(3), b = 17.384(4), C = 11.940(2) Å. The structure was solved by direct methods. Least-squares refinement using 2138 independent reflections with I3σ(I) has led to a final value of the conventional R factor (on F) of 0.047 and R_w of 0.049. The complex cation consists of pairs of deformed trigonal-bipyramidal copper(II) centers which share an edge by two equatorial chloride ions. The equatorial coordination sites of the Cu(1) atom are occupied by three chloride ligands, while of the Cu(2) atom by two chloride and one benzimidazole ligands. The axial sites are occupied by the nitrogen atoms from four benzimidazole ligands. The Cu atoms and equatorial ligands are located on the symmetry plane. The Cu---Cu non-bonding distance in the complex is 3.386(1) Å; the two shorter bridging Cu(1)---Cl(1) and Cu(2)---Cl(1) distances are 2.402(2) and 2.424(2) Å; the two longer Cu(1)---Cl(2) and Cu(2)---Cl(2) are 2.620(2) and 2.551(2) Å. The Cu(1)---Cl(1)---Cu(2) and Cu(1)---Cl(2)---Cu(2) angles are 89.1(1) and 81.8(1)°. The structure is the first example of a bibridged binuclear complex with two non-equivalent Cu---Cl---Cu bridges. Comparison to other binuclear bis(μ-halide)-bridged copper complexes of similar structure has been made. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate ferromagnetic coupling of the copper(II) centers, the intramolecular exchange parameter, 2J, being 5.6 cm⁻¹ and the intermolecular one J′ = −0.6 cm⁻¹. The investigation of the electronic structure of the complex and the orbital interpretation of the magnetic coupling based on extended Hückel molecular orbital calculations are also presented.