Tetradentate nitrogen-containing ligands bis-5-(2-pyridylmethylidene)-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazol-4-ones and their coordination compounds with CuI and CuII

Tetradentate N4-type organic ligands containing two 5-(2-pyridylmethylidene)-2-thio-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazol-4-one fragments linked by two-, four-, or six-carbon polymethylene bridges between the sulfur atoms were synthesized. Mono- and dinuclear complexes of these ligands with copper(II) chloride, as well as with copper(I) and copper(II) perchlorates, were prepared. The structure of the coordination compound (5Z,5′Z)-2,2′-(butane-1,2-diyl-disulfanyldiyl)bis-5-(2-pyridylmethylidene)-3-phenyl-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazol-4-one with copper(I) perchlorate was established by X-ray diffraction. The copper atom in this complex is in a distorted tetrahedral coordination formed by four nitrogen atoms of two imidazole and two pyridine rings. The perchlorate anion is located in the outer sphere of the complex and is not involved in the coordination with the copper ion. The electrochemical study of the ligands and the complexes was carried out by cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The initial reduction of the complexes under study occurs at the metal atom. The length of the polymethylene bridge in the ligand has only a slight effect on the redox properties of the ligands and the complexes.