Synthesis, Structures and Photophysical Properties of Tetra- and Hexanuclear Zinc Complexes Supported by Tridentate Schiff Base Ligands

The synthesis, structure and photophysical properties of two polynuclear zinc complexes, namely [Zn6L2(µ3-OH)2(OAc)8] (1) [Zn4L4(µ2-OH)2](ClO4)2 (2), supported by tridentate Schiff base ligand 2,6-bis((N-benzyl)iminomethyl)-4-tert-butylphenol (HL) are presented. synthesized compounds were investigated using ESI-MS, IR, NMR, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy single-crystal X-ray crystallography. hexanuclear neutral complex 1 comprises six-, five- four-coordinated Zn2+ ions coordinated O N atoms from the supporting OH- acetate ligands. in cation [Zn4L4(µ2-OH)2]2+ 2 all five-coordinated. complexation HL leads to a six-fold increase intensity large blue shift ligand-based 1(π-π)* emission. Other biologically relevant ions, i.e., Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+ Cu2+, did not give rise fluorescence enhancement.