Solvent-driven dimensionality control in molecular systems containing CuII, 2,2′-bipyridine and an oxamato-based ligand

A discrete dicopper(II) system, [Cu(bipy)(H2mpba)]2·2H2O (1), and its isomeric chain, [Cu(bipy)(H2mpba)]·dmso (2) [bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine and H4mpba = N,N′-1,3-phenylenebis(oxamic acid)], were obtained by modifying the ratio of the H2O–dmso solvent mixture, and their interconversion was also monitored by changing the solvents during the synthesis. The solvents play an essential role in the formation and crystallization of these complexes, presenting different dimensionalities and connectivities. The double deprotonated H2mpba2− adopts the bidentate/monodentate (1) and bis-bidentate (2) bridging modes toward the (2,2′-bipyridyl)copper(II) units affording a dinuclear compound (1) and a linear chain (2), respectively. Variable-temperature magnetic measurements show the occurrence of weak intradinuclear (1) and intrachain (2) antiferromagnetic interactions.