Heterodimetallic copper(II) compounds containing ferrocenecarboxylato(-1) and triamines as ligands

The syntheses and characterization of two new copper(II) complexes [Cu(petdien) {eta (2)-O(2)C[(eta (5)-C(5)H(4))Fe(eta (5)-C(5)H(5))]}][BPh(4)] 1 and [Cu(pmdien)(H(2)O){eta (1)-O(2)C[(eta (5)-C(5)H(4))Fe(eta (5)-C(5)H(5))]}](ClO(4)) 2 (petdien = N,N,N',N",N"-pentaethyldiethylenetriamine, pmdien = N,N,N',N",N"-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) are reported. The structures of both compounds have been determined by X-ray diffraction and reveal that these complexes contain a heterodinuclear Cu(II)-Fe(II) cation in which the ferrocenecarboxylato(-1) ligand acts as a chelating agent in 1 or as a monodentate group in 2. The influence of the steric effects induced by the tridentate amines in the mode of binding of the ferrocenecarboxylato group is discussed. Magnetochemical studies of these compounds are also reported.