Synthesis, structure and spectral studies on mixed ligand copper(II) complexes of diimines and acetylacetonate

Two new mixed ligand complexes of copper(II) with acetylacetonate (acac), 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) belonging to the class of cytotoxic and antineoplastic compounds known as CASIOPEINAS® were synthesized and structurally characterized. Crystals of both complexes [Cu(acac)(bpy)(H2O)]NO3 · H2O (1), [Cu(acac)(phen)Br] (2) contain square pyramidal Cu(II) complex species. In frozen solution both compounds give well resolved EPR spectra with very similar parameters.