Synthesis and some first-row transition-metal complexes of the 1,2,4-triazole-based Bis(terdentate) ligands TsPMAT and PMAT.

The employment of a strategy based on nucleophilic substitution, rather than Schiff base condensation, for the preparation of 1,2,4-triazole-based ligands has been investigated and has led to the synthesis of two new ligands, 4-amino-3,5-bis{[N-(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-(4-toluenesulfonyl)amino]methyl}-4H-1,2,4-triazole (TsPMAT, 14) and 4-amino-3,5-bis{[(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]methyl}-4H-1,2,4-triazole (PMAT, 15). These are the first examples of bis(terdentate) ligands incorporating the 1,2,4-triazole unit. TsPMAT (14) forms a dinuclear 2:2 complex with Co(BF4)2.6 H2O even when reacted in a metal-to-ligand molar ratio of 2:1. Similarly, the reaction of PMAT (15) with Mn(ClO4)2.6H2O or M(BF4)2.6 H2O (M=Fe, Co, Ni, Zn) in a ligand-to-metal molar ratio of 1:1 has afforded a series of complexes with the general formula [M(II) (2)(PMAT)2]X4. The metal centres in these complexes of TsPMAT (14) and PMAT (15) are encapsulated by two ligand molecules and doubly bridged by the N2 units of the 1,2,4-triazole moieties, which gives rise to N6 coordination spheres that are strongly distorted from octahedral, as evidenced by the X-ray crystal structure analyses of [Co(II) (2)(TsPMAT)(2)](BF(4))(4)6 MeCN (246 MeCN) and [Fe(II) 2(PMAT)2](BF4)4DMF (27DMF). Studies of the magnetic properties of [Co(II) 2(TsPMAT)2](BF4)4.4 H2O (244 H2O), [Mn(II) 2(PMAT)2](ClO4)4 (26), and [Co(II) 2(PMAT)2](BF4)4 (28) have revealed weak antiferromagnetic coupling (J=-3.3, -0.16, and -2.4 cm(-1), respectively) between the two metal centres in these complexes.