Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of a Ce^III –Cu^II Heterodinuclear Complex

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of a heterodinuclear complex, LCu(Me 2 CO)Ce(NO 3 )O 3 (L = (N,N’-propylene-bis(3-methoxysalicylideneimine)) are reported. (C 19 H 22 N 2 O 4 )Cu(C 3 H 6 O) Ce(NO 3 ) 3 , monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a = 9.8295(4), b = 19.049(3), c = 15.668(3) Å , β = 94.873(12)◦, V = 2923.2(7) Å 3 , Z = 4. The central region of the complex is occupied by Cu II and Ce III ions which are bridged by two phenolato oxygen atoms of the ligand. The copper ion adopts a square-based 4+1 coordination made, the equatorial N 2 O 2 donors being afforded by the ligand while the axial position is occupied by an oxygen atom of the acetone molecule. The Ce III ion is deca-coordinated. In addition to the two phenolate oxygen atoms, the coordination sphere contains two oxygen atoms of the OMe side arms of L and six oxygen atoms from the three bidentate nitrate ions. The Ce···Cu separation is 3.601(2) Å and the dihedral angle between the CeO(2)Cu and CeO(3)Cu planes is 17.4(1)°. The magnetic susceptibility of the complex was measured over the range 5 - 350 K. The magnetic properties of the investigated compound are dominated by the crystal field effect on the Ce III site, masking the magnetic interaction between the paramagnetic centers.