Synthesis and crystal structure of divaleratobis(nicotinamide)copper(II)

A copper(II) valerate complex with nicotinamide (L) [CuL2(C4H9COO)2] (I) has been synthesized and studied by IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. The crystal structure has been determined. The crystals of 1 are monoclinic, a = 11.297(1) Å, b = 6.666(1) Å, c = 16.873(2) Å, b = 108.50(1)°, V = 1204.9(3) Å3, Z = 2, space group P21/c. The structural units of the crystal of I are centrosymmetric tetragonal bipyramidal (4+2) complex molecules. The equatorial positions of the bipyramid are occupied by trans-arranged pairs of O (Cu-O, 1.973 Å) and N (Cu-N, 2.006 Å) atoms, and the axial positions are occupied by the second O atoms of the valerate anions located at longer distances (Cu-O, 2.506 Å). The supramolecular associates formed in the crystal are layers of hydrogen-bonded complexes. The disordered hydrocarbon “tails” of the valerate groups point toward the interlayer space.