Abstract
In the present study, we report synthesis, characterization, structural and theoretical studies of two copper(II) complexes, [Cu(py)
2
(L
1
)
2
] (1) and [Cu(phen)(Ac)
2
-Cu
2
(Ac)
4
]
n
(2), and a nickel(II) complex, [Ni(bipy)(L)(Ac)] (3), where py = pyridine, L
1
= 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, Ac = acetate ion, bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine and HL = 4-bromo-2-(Z)-(naphthalene-2-ylimino)methyl) phenol. The new complexes were fully characterized using microanalysis, FAB-mas (m/z), FT-IR, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra, X-band EPR spectroscopy and then by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. X-ray studies of 1 and 3 revealed distorted octahedral geometries. Complex 2 is a coordination polymer built by an octahedral copper unit Cu(phen)(Ac)
2
alternating with paddle wheel species Cu
2
(Ac)
4
, located on a crystallographic center of symmetry, where an acetate anion bridges the two crystallographic independent copper ions. The fluorescence intensities and quantum yields of 1 and 2 were found to be more compared to 3. The preliminary tests in the potential application for theoretical biological activities of compounds have also been studied. Furthermore, we also performed quantum chemical calculations to get insights into the structure-property relationships of the synthesized complexes. The quantum chemical calculations were used for theoretical calculations of linear polarizability and third-order nonlinear optical polarizability (γ) for 1, 2 and 3. Besides this, the theoretical calculations, including the analysis of frontier molecular orbitals and electrostatic potential diagrams, are used to highlight the theoretical aspects of metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) processes in the studied complexes.