Crystal structure and magnetic properties of a novel CuIINdIII heterodinuclear Schiff base complex

The crystal structure of L'Cu(Me2CO)Nd(NO3)(3) (L' = N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-ethylenediamine) was determined and the magnetic properties of the complex were investigated. (C18H18N2O4)Cu(C3H6O)Nd(NO3)(3), monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 9.8792(9), b = 18.904(4), c = 15.667(2) Angstrom, beta = 95.360(10)degrees, V = 2913.1(8) Angstrom(3), Z = 4. The central region of the complex is occupied by Cu-II and Nd-III ions which are bridged by two phenolato oxygen atoms of the ligand. The copper ion adopts a square-based 4+1 coordination made, the basal N2O2 donors being afforded by the ligand while the axial position is occupied by the oxygen atom of the acetone molecule. The NO, ion is deca-coordinated. In addition to the two phenolate oxygen atoms, the coordination sphere contains two oxygen atoms of the OMe side arms of L and six oxygen atoms from the three bidentate nitrate ions. The (CuNd)-Nd-... separation is 3.466(2) Angstrom. The chiT versus T plots, chi being the molar magnetic susceptibility per (CuNdIII)-Nd-II unit and T the temperature, has been measured in the 4.5 - 299.6 K temperature range. The magnetic properties of the investigated compound are dominated by the crystal field effect on the N masking the magnetic interaction between the paramagnetic centers.