Bis(1,10-phenanthroline-N,N')copper(II) Tetrathionate and Tris(1,10-phenanthroline-N,N')copper(II) Tetrathionate Pentahydrate

The structures of [Cu(C₁₂H₈N₂)₂(S₄O₆)], (I) and [Cu(C₁₂H₈N₂)₃](S₄O₆).5H₂O, (II), are reported. Compound (I) consists of infinite polymeric chains where copper displays a typical (4 + 2) coordination and S₄O₆ connects Cu(phen)₂ (phen = phenanthroline) units through rather long Cu—O contacts. Compound (II), instead, has a purely ionic character displaying [Cu(phen)₃]²⁺ and S₄O₆²⁻ monomeric units. Equatorial and apical bonds in the copper coordination spheres have mean values of 2.003 (5)/2.467 (12) Å and 2.056 (3)/2.311 (13) Å for (I) and (II), respectively. Some short O...OW contacts in (II) suggest the existence of hydrogen bonding involving some of the water molecules of hydration.

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