Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Properties of Copper and Zinc Complexes Constructed from 4-Acetylaminobenzoic Acid and N-Donor Ligands

[Cu(PABA)(phen)(H2O)(2)]center dot(NO3)center dot H2O (1) was synthesized by mixing 4-acetylaminobenzoic acid (HPABA), 1,10'-Phenanthroline (phen) and Cu(NO3)(2) in DMF/CH3OH/H2O solution, while {[Zn(PABA)(2)(4,4'-bpy)]center dot 4H(2)O}(n) (2) was produced by dissolving HPABA, 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bpy) and Zn(NO3)(2) in DMF/CH3OH/H2O solution. After that their crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis, which revealed that each Cu ion is coordinated with two N atoms from phen and three O atoms from PABA ligand and water molecules by tetragonal pyramid, while, in complex 2, the central Zn ion shows a one-dimensional zigzag chain bridged by 4,4' -bpy molecules. Thermal properties and the cyclic voltammetric behaviors of the two complexes were investigated.