Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of a Terephthalato-bridged Binuclear Nickel(II) Complex

A new terephthalato-bridged binuclear nickel(II) complex with a tetraazamacrocyclic compound as the terminal ligand, [Ni 2 (cth) 2 (µ-TPHA)](ClO 4 ) 2 (1) [cth= rac -5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane] has been synthesized and characterized. According to X-ray crystallographic studies on the solvated species 1·2CH 3 OH, each Ni(II) ion lies in a distorted octahedral environment, and the terephthalato ligand bridges two Ni(II) ions in a bis bidentate fashion. Cryomagnetic measurements revealed Curie-Weiss behaviour with Š = m 1.4 K. Such behaviour may be due to a very weak intramolecular superexchange interaction through the extended bridge, a weak intermolecular exchange interaction or the local zero-field splitting of Ni(II) ions.