Synthesis, properties and X-ray crystal structure of a bicopper(II) complex of N,N′, N″,N‴-tetra(2-aminoethyl)-1,1,2,2-ethanetetraamide

We have synthesized a bicopper(II) complex of N,N′,N″,N‴-tetra(2-aminoethyl)-1,1,2,2-ethanetetraamide and determined its crystal structure by X-ray diffraction. The complex has two dioxotetraamine sub-units linked by a CC bond. Each copper is situated in a square-pyramid consisting of four nitrogen atoms and one water molecule. The nitrogen atoms of the amido groups have stronger coordination ability than those of amino groups because of their deprotonation. The complex binds 10 water molecules and forms 22 hydrogen bonds. The large network of hydrogen bonds stabilizes the crystal. The complex has an EPR spectrum both in the solid and in frozen aqueous solution corresponding to mononuclear copper(II). Each copper has a magnetic moment of 1.74 μB. It has two redox processes at 0.62 and 0.79 V (vs SCE), respectively. IR, TG and conproportionation constants were also discussed.