New template reactions of salicylaldehyde S-methyl-isothiosemicarbazone with 2-formylpyridine promoted by Ni(II) or Cu(II) metal ions

The template reaction between salicylaldehyde S-methyl-isothiosemicarbazone and 2-formylpyridine in presence of nickel(II) or copper(II) salts yields two new coordination compounds with general formula [NiL1]2 (1) and [CuL2]2 (2) (L1 = the dianionic (N1-salicylidene)(N4-(hydroxy(pyridin-2-yl)methyl) S-methyl-isothiosemicarbazide) ligand and L2 = the doubly deprotonated (N1-salicylidene)(N4-(picolinoyl) S-methyl-isothiosemicarbazide) ligand). In the complex 1, the formed L1 ligand appears as result of an addition reaction of the precursors, while for 2 a redox mechanism is implicated in the formation of L2. Despite the fact that the initial organic precursors are the same, the resulting ligands obtained in the template reaction are different. In 1, the Ni(II) metal ion adopts a square-planar geometry and the [NiL1] units are forming dimerized chains through weak Ni···Ni interactions (3.336 and 3.632 Å). In 2, the Cu(II) metal ions adopt a square-pyramidal geometry and form dinuclear species through weak Cu···O (phenoxo) interactions. The magnetic susceptibility measurements of the complexes reveal the diamagnetic nature of 1 as expected for a square planar Ni(II) complex and a paramagnetic behavior for 2 with weak intra-dimer antiferromagnetic interaction (J/kB = −2.1(1) K).