Copper(II)-induced methanolysis of a stable enediol: isolation and crystallographic characterization of chloro(methylpicolinato-N,O)(picolinato-N,O)-copper(II)

A square-pyramidal geometry is found about the copper(II) centre in the tit le complex, [CuCl(C6H4NO2)(C7H7NO2)] or [Cu(2-pic)(2-picMe)Cl], a product o f Cu-II-induced methanolysis of 1,2-di(2-pyridyl)-1,2-dihydroxyethylene. Ea ch of the 2-pic and 2-picMe ligands chelates the copper centre via N and an d one of their O-donor atoms. In the case of 2-picMe, the donor atoms span basal and axial positions via the N and O atoms, respectively. Weak seconda ry Cu . . . Cl interactions link molecules of the complex in the crystal in to centrosymmetric dimeric aggregates.