Two pyrimidine-based ligands, 4-(3,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-(morpholino)pyrimidine () and 4-(3,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-phenoxypyrimidine (), and a series of mixed-valence copper(i,ii) halide complexes, [Cu(L(2))2Br]2[Cu2Br4] (), [Cu(L(2))2Cl][CuCl2] (), and [Cu2L(3)Br3]n (), have been synthesized. The complex [Cu(L(2))2Br]2[Cu2Br4] was prepared by the reaction of with CuBr2 in a 1 : 1 molar ratio in MeCN. Its chlorido-analogue, the complex [Cu(L(2))2Cl][CuCl2], was synthesized by the reaction between , CuCl2 and CuCl in a 2 : 1 : 1 molar ratio in MeCN. The ligand acts as a chelating one. In the structures of the complexes [Cu(L(2))2Br]2[Cu2Br4] and [Cu(L(2))2Cl][CuCl2] the Cu(2+) ion is in the cationic part of the complex whereas the Cu(+) ion is located in the anionic part. The best way to synthesize the mixed-valence 1D coordination polymer [Cu2L(3)Br3]n is to react CuBr2 with in a 2 : 1 molar ratio in the MeCN/CHCl3 mixture on heating. In the structure of [Cu2L(3)Br3]n the ligand shows chelating/bridging tridentate coordination. This is the first example of the tridentate coordination of 4-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-R-pyrimidines. The striking difference between the coordination behavior of and (chelating bidentate vs. chelating/bridging coordination) is related with the possibility of rotation of the 6-phenoxy group around the C-O bond which makes the N(1) pyrimidine atom less sterically hindered, enabling it to participate in metal ion binding. Importantly, all copper ions in [Cu2L(3)Br3]n show similar tetrahedral environments, CuNBr3 and CuN2Br2, which is extremely rare for mixed-valence copper(i,ii) compounds. The ligands and show blue emission which is quenched upon their coordination to copper ions. The 1D coordination polymer [Cu2L(3)Br3]n shows high thermal stability and unusual solvent-occlusion properties. The role of the substituents favoring the formation of the mixed-valence copper(i,ii) complexes with 4-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-R-pyrimidines is discussed.
