An Original Supramolecular Helicate from a Bipyridine–Bipyrazine Ligand Strand and Ni^II by Self‐Assembly

Abstract

Abstract A new discrete supramolecular pseudo‐helicate has been obtained from a saturated heterotopic methylbipyrazyl–methylbipyridyl ligand strand and NiCl 2 . The X‐ray structure of the dinuclear complex shows the 2‐oxapropylene bridge oxygen atoms are engaged in coordination to the octahedral metal centre and a selective ligand inter‐strand orientation is promoted in the complex. The crystal packing shows a perfect regular linear arrangement of the asymmetric units giving a packing of interacting molecules having well‐defined rectangular and polygonal open channels. Although a paramagnetic behaviour is observed above 10 K, below this temperature a significant deviation of this behaviour suggests the presence of an Ni II –Ni II magnetic coupling. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)