Four Ni^II complexes with the new cyclam-methyl­imidazole ligand 1-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)meth­yl]-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­deca­ne

Although it has not proved possible to crystallize the newly prepared cyclam-methyl­imidazole ligand 1-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane (L^Im1), the trans and cis isomers of an Ni^II complex, namely trans-aqua­{1-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane}nickel(II) bis­(perchlorate) mono­hydrate, [Ni(C₁₅H₃₀N₆)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂·H₂O, (1), and cis-aqua­{1-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1,4,8,11-tetraaza­cyclo­tetra­decane}nickel(II) bis­(perchlorate), [Ni(C₁₅H₃₀N₆)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂, (2), have been prepared and structurally characterized. At different stages of the crystallization and thermal treatment from which (1) and (2) were obtained, a further two compounds were isolated in crystalline form and their structures also analysed, namely trans-{1-[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane}(perchlorato)nickel(II) perchlorate, [Ni(ClO₄)(C₁₅H₃₀N₆)]ClO₄, (3), and cis-{1,8-bis­[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane}nickel(II) bis­(perchlorate) 0.24-hy­drate, [Ni(C₂₀H₃₆N₆)](ClO₄)₂·0.24H₂O, (4); the 1,8-bis­[(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1,4,8,11-tetra­azacyclo­tetra­decane ligand is a minor side product, probably formed in trace amounts in the synthesis of L^Im1. The configurations of the cyclam macrocycles in the complexes have been analysed and the structures are compared with analogues from the literature.