A mononuclear copper(II) complex with a tridentate ligand containing pyridyl, thioether and phenolate donors

The preparation and characterization using UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry of a tridentate ligand 2-[1′-(4′-(2″-pyridyl)-2′-thiabutyl)]-4-methoxyphenol (HL) and its mononuclear copper(II) complex is presented. Electronic spectra of the complex give intense low energy transitions ascribed as ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT) transitions. A quasireversible CuII/I redox couple is observed at high potentials due to stabilization of the Cu(I) oxidation state by the thioether sulfur and pyridyl nitrogen coordination.