Coordination versatility of 1,3-bis[3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazol-1-yl]propane: Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes

The ligand 1,3-bis[3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazol-1-yl]propane (L⁸) has afforded six-coordinate monomeric and dimeric complexes [(L⁸)Co^II(H₂O)₂][ClO₄]₂ (1), [(L⁸)Ni^II(MeCN)₂][BPh₄]₂ (2), [(L⁸)Ni^II(O₂CMe)][BPh₄] (3), and . The crystal structures of 1, 2 · MeCN, 3, and 4 revealed that the ligand L⁸ is flexible enough to expand its coordinating ability by fine-tuning the angle between the chelating fragments and hence folds around cobalt(II)/nickel(II) centers to act as a tetradentate chelate, allowing additional coordination by two trans-H₂O, cis-MeCN, and a bidentate acetate affording examples of distorted octahedral , , and coordination. The angles between the two CoN₂/NiN₂ planes span a wide range 23.539(1)° (1), 76.934(8)° (2), and 69.874(14)° (3). In contrast, complex 4 is a bis-μ-1,3-acetato-bridged (syn-anti coordination mode) dicobalt(II) complex [Co?Co separation: 4.797(8) Å] in which L⁸ provides terminal bidentate pyridylpyrazole coordination to each cobalt(II) center. To our knowledge, this report provides first examples of such a coordination versatility of L⁸. Absorption spectral studies (MeCN solution) have been done for all the complexes. Complexes 1-3 are uniformly high-spin. Temperature-dependent (2-300 K) magnetic studies on 4 reveal weak ferromagnetic exchange coupling between two cobalt(II) (S = 3/2) ions. The best-fit parameters obtained are: Δ (axial splitting parameter) = −765(5) cm⁻¹, λ (spin-orbit coupling) = −120(3) cm⁻¹, k (orbital reduction factor) = 0.93, and J (magnetic exchange coupling constant) = +1.60(2) m⁻¹.