Tetrahedral complexes from N,N' ethylenedimorpholine[1]

The ligand N,N' ethylenedimorpholine (EDM) reacts with divalent first row transition metal halides to give complexes of the type MX2(EDM); (M = Zn, Cu, Co, Ni) (X = Cl, Br, I). Although there are four potential donor atoms in the ligand, two nitrogens and two oxygens, the ligand is bound through the two nitrogens thus behaving like a substituted ethylenediamine. The complexes, with the exception of the NiBr2, NiI2 and CoI2 constitute in isomorphous series to which a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry has been assigned, on the basis of their stoichiometry, their physical, magnetic, and spectral properties. The exclusive formation of distorted tetrahedral complexes is discussed in terms of the steric requirements of the ligand.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/32835/1/0000211.pd