A chiral supramolecular architecture [Cu2(4,4′-bipyridine)2(sala)2]n • 4.5nH2O(sala=N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-L-alanine anion)

A chiral supramolecular architecture, [Cu-2(4,4'-bipy)(2)(sala)(2)](n).4.5nH(2)O (1) (sala = N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-L-alanine anion), has been synthesized by the reaction of Cu(NO3)(2).2H(2)O with 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy) and N-(2-hydroxybenZyl)-L-alanine (H(2)sala) in basic ethanol/aqueous solution. X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis reveals that complex 1 has a 3D extended structure in which the mononuclear anions [Cu(sala)(2)](2-) are bonded to [Cu(4,4'-bipy)(2)](2+) cations through Cu-O bond at a distance of 2.528 Angstrom. One Cu(II) center is in lengthened octahedral geometry and another one is in planar square environment. The cyclic voltammetry shows that two Cu(II) centers have different electrochemical properties. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.