Two-dimensional Coordination Polymers of Copper(II) with Oxalate: Lattice Water Control of Structure

Three oxalate copper(II) complexes, [Cu(bipy)(C(2)O(4))(H(2)O)].2H(2)O (1), [Cu(nphen)(C(2)O(4))(H(2)O)].2H(2)O (2), and [Cu(phen)(C(2)O(4))(H(2)O)].H(2)O (3) (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine, nphen = 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), have been synthesized and their crystal structures have been determined. Compound 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with a = 7.2554(10) A, b = 10.5712(14) A, c = 10.8178(15) A, alpha = 62.086(2) degrees, beta = 77.478(3) degrees, gamma = 81.773(3) degrees, and Z = 2. Compound 2 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with a = 9.582(2) A, b = 10.086(2) A, c = 10.592(2) A, alpha = 64.18(3) degrees, beta = 79.47(3) degrees, gamma = 60.06(3) degrees, and Z = 2. Compound 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 8.4655(7) A, b = 9.7057(8) A, c = 17.4572(14) A; beta = 103.865(2) degrees, and Z = 4. The crystal structures of all complexes consist of neutral [Cu(L)(C(2)O(4))(H(2)O)] (L = bipy, nphen, and phen) units and one or two lattice water molecules in the unit cell. Each copper atom in 1, 2, and 3 involves a five-coordinate CuN(2)O(2)O' environment, with a distorted square-pyramidal structure. In 1 and 2, two lattice water molecules are around each unit of [CuL(C(2)O(4))(H(2)O)] (L = bipy and nphen) and form two-dimensional networks. Only one lattice water molecule is found in the unit cell of 3 and the two-dimensional structure is different from 1 and 2. The extended three-dimensional structure is formed through pi-pi interactions between layers. The influences of hydrogen bonds and the sizes and Lewis basicity of ligands to the structures were discussed.