Synthesis and single crystal X-ray structure of a novel trinuclear copper(II) methoxide complex

Reaction of the ligand cis,cis-1,3,5-tri-(E,E)-3-(2-furyl)prop-2-en-1-ylidene-aminocyclohexane (tfct) with copper(II) ions and sodium tetrafluoroborate in methanol leads to the assembly of a novel trinuclear copper(II) complex. Single crystal X-ray diffraction shows that the complex contains a linear trinuclear array of copper(II) ions in which the central copper ion is coordinated by four methoxides, in a near square-planar coordination environment. The compound {[Cu(tfct)](2)Cu(mu-OMe)(4) . 2BF(4)} crystallises in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 9.924(6), b = 14.620(13), c = 21.490(12) Angstrom, beta = 97.47(5)degrees and Z = 2. The {[Cu(tfct)]BF4)}(2+) units are related by a crystallographic inversion centre on the copper(II) ion of the central [Cu(mu-OMe)(4)](2-) moiety. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.