MONONUCLEAR AND POLYNUCLEAR SCHIFF-BASE COMPLEXES DERIVED FROM POLYOXADIAMINES

New compartmental macroacyclic and macrocyclic Schiff bases have been prepared by reaction of the formyl precursors 2,3-dihydroxy-benzaldehy de, 3-methoxy-2-hydroxy-benzaldehyde and 2,6-diformyl-4-chlorophenol w ith 1,2-diaminoethane, 1,3-diaminopropane and the polyethyleneoxy-diam ine H2N(CH2)(2)[O(CH2)(2)]nNH2 (n = 1, 2, 3) also with the presence of a templating ion. In these ligands the shape of one or both compartme nts has progressively been enlarged and the denticity increased in ord er to link up to four metal ions into the coordination moiety. These l igands react with copper(II), nickel(II) or lanthanide(III) salts to f orm mononuclear, homo- and heterodinuclear, homotrinuclear or homotetr anuclear complexes. The ligands and the complexes were characterized b y elemental analysis, IR, H-1 and C-13 NMR, mass spectrometry, magneti c susceptibility and SEM investigations.