Dalton communications. Three different co-ordination geometries in the pentacopper(II) unit of [Cu5(OH)2(H2O)(O2CMe)6(Him)4][ClO4]2(Him = imidazole)

Abstract

The reaction of imidazole (Him) with [Cu₂(µ-O₂CMe)₄(H₂O)₂] in water–NaClO₄ led to the formation of a polynuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu₅(OH)₂(H₂O)(O₂CMe)₆(Him)₄][ClO₄]₂1, in which the pentanuclear units, showing four, five and six co-ordination geometries for the copper(II) centres and Cu ⋯ Cu distances of 3.043(1), 3.178(1) and 3.578(1)Å, were linked by aqua bridges to give an intra-chain inter-unit Cu ⋯ Cu separation of 4.507(1)Å.