Multiple metal coordinating behaviour of the tetrapodal ligand 1,1,1,1-tetrakis[(salicylaldimino)methyl]methane

Abstract The tetrapodal ligand 1,1,1,1-tetrakis[(salicylaldimino)methyl]methane (H 4 tsam) has been introduced for the first time for metal complexation. Two zinc(II) complexes[Zn 2 (tsam)] (1) and [Zn 3 (Htsam) 2 ]·2C 7 H 8 (2) have been obtained by reacting zinc acetylacetonate with the ligand in the presence of triethylamine, while a cobalt(III) complex [Co(Htsam)]·CH 3 CN·H 2 O (3) is obtained when Co(ClO 4 ) 2 ·6H 2 O is reacted in air. All the compounds have been characterized by their elemental analyses and ESI-MS, IR, UV-VIS and 1 H NMR spectra. The X-ray crystal structures of H 4 tsam, 2 and 3 have been determined. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit fluorescence in solution and the lifetimes of their luminescence decay have been measured. Thermal analysis (TGA, DTA) of 2 with regard to loss of encapsulated toluenes and redox behaviour of 3 have been studied.