title: Low-dimensional compounds containing cyano groups. IV. Bis(2,2'-bipyridine-kappa(2)N,N1)(dicyanamido-kappaN')copper(II) perchlorate and mu-dicyanamido-kappa(2)N1:N5-bis[bis(2,2'-bipyridine-kappa(2)N,N')copper(II)] triperchlorate ethanol hemisolvate, complexes with unusual dicyanamide coordination.
abstract: From reaction mixtures containing the same reagents, the two novel title complexes, with unusual coordination modes of the dicyanamide (dca) ligand, have been prepared. The first compound, [Cu(C(2)N(3))(C(10)H(8)N(2))(2)]ClO(4), represents a relatively rare class of compounds, with the dca ligand coordinated in a monodentate manner. Its structure is formed by the [Cu(bpy)(2)N(CN)(2)](+) complex cation (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine) and a ClO(4)(-) anion, which does not enter the inner coordination sphere. The Cu centre is five-coordinate within a strongly distorted trigonal bipyramid to two bpy molecules and one dca ligand, which is coordinated through one nitrile N atom in the equatorial plane. The second compound, [Cu(2)(C(2)N(3))(C(10)H(8)N(2))(4)](ClO(4))(3).0.5C(2)H(6)O, contains dca coordinated in the more common bidentate manner, but instead of a chain structure, a unique binuclear complex is formed. The asymmetric unit consists of the [Cu(bpy)(2)N(CN)(2)(bpy)(2)Cu](3+) binuclear complex cation, the charge of which is neutralized by three uncoordinated perchlorate anions, and a half-molecule of ethanol. Both Cu centres in the cation are five-coordinate, adopting a slightly distorted trigonal-bipyramidal environment.