Structure and magnetism of the first strictly dinuclear compound containing paramagnetic 3d and 5f metal ions. Major influence of the Cu(II) ion coordination on the exchange Cu(II)-U(IV) interaction.

The dinuclear compound [CuL2(py)U(acac)2] has been synthesized by treating [Cu(H2L2)] with U(acac)4 (L2 = N,N'-bis(3-hydroxysalicylidene)-2-methyl-1,2-propanediamine) and shows the antiferromagnetic Cu-U interaction; the distinct magnetic behaviour of the trinuclear complexes [(CuL2)2U] (antiferromagnetic) and [[CuL1(py)]U[CuL1]] (ferromagnetic) revealed the major influence of the Cu(II) ion coordination on the exchange interaction (L1 = N,N'-bis(3-hydroxysalicylidene)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine).