Hexanuclear copper(ii) cage with {Cu3O⋯H⋯OCu3} core supported by a dicompartmental oxime ligand with m-xylyl spacer: synthesis, molecular structure and magnetic studies

A new dicompartmental dioxime ligand (H(2)L) with m-xylyl spacer between the donor sites has been synthesised by Schiff-base condensation of α,α'-diamino-m-xylene and diacetyl monooxime. The ligand reacts with copper(ii) salts giving rise to hexanuclear tricationic copper(II) cage complexes [Cu(II)(6)(μ(3)-O···H···O-μ(3))L(3)(H(2)O)(6)]X(3) (X = BF(4), 1a; X = ClO(4), 1b). The complexes have been characterised by different analytical and spectroscopic techniques and confirmed the hexanuclear structure even in solution. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of both the complexes revealed a very similar core structure with three dicompartmental ligands supporting two triangular Cu(3)O core…