Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of [Cr2Cu2(bpy)4(ox)5]·2H2O. An oxalato-bridged heterometallic tetramer

A new heterometallic tetramer of formula [Cr2Cu 2(bpy)4(ox)5]·2H2O (1) (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine; ox=oxalate dianion) has been prepared and characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility measurements and ESR spectroscopy. The tetranuclear unit in 1 can be viewed as the combination of two terminal [Cr(bpy)2(ox)]- units with a central oxalato-bridged copper(II) dimer. The chromium ions are in a distorted octahedral environment with metal-ligand distances ranging from 1.944(4) to 2.064(5) A. The copper(II) centres lie in an axially distorted octahedron. The axial positions are occupied by one oxygen atom belonging to the central bridging oxalate anion [O(9)-Cu(1): 2.245(…