Novel pyrazolate-based copper(II) [2 x 2] grid complexes: Synthesis, structure and properties

5-Acetyl-substituted pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (H2L) forms [2 x 2] grid-like tetranuclear Cu(II) complexes with four five-coordinated copper(II) ions bridged by pyrazolate groups. Despite a significant dissociation of [Cu4L4(H2O)(4)]center dot 4H(2)O (1) in aqueous solution(1), it was possible to substitute the coordinated water molecules by pyridine ligands or azide anions. The resulting tetranuclear complexes [Cu4L4Py4]center dot 2H(2)O (2) and Na-4[Cu4L4(N-3)(4)]center dot 7MeOH (3) were isolated and studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. In 2 and 3 the azide anions or pyridine molecules complete the distorted square-pyramidal coordination of each copper(II) center. Magnetic susceptibilities of the obtained compounds have been measured by SQUID techniques. Simulation of the data using a Heisenberg spin Hamiltonian approach showed that the bridges between the metals mediate weak intramolecular antiferromagnetic coupling (J in the range -13.3 to -17.1 cm (1)) and lead to a singlet ground state in all cases. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.