A novel antiferromagnetically coupled, dimeric, dodecanuclear copper( II ) complex involving two macrocyclic ligands each with a ‘benzene-like’ arrangement of six copper centres

Template condensation of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol with 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane, in the presence of copper(II) nitrate and a base, results in the formation of a novel dimeric, dodecacopper(II) complex of a 30-membered macrocyclic ligand (H6M), with a pseudo-hexagonal, ‘benzene-like’ arrangement of metal centres and an alternating double (µ2-OPh, µ2-OH) and single (µ2-OR) bridge arrangement within each ring.