An insight into the non-covalent interactions in the solid state structures of dinuclear cobalt(ii) complexes with N,O-donor ligands: application of the complexes in the fabrication of Schottky devices

Two new dinuclear cobalt(ii) complexes, [(H2O)(CoL1)-L-II(mu-O2CR1)Co-II(NCS)] (1) and [(DMSO)(CoL2)-L-II(mu-O2CR2)Co-II(NCS)] (2) (H2L1 = (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediyl)bis(iminomethylene)bis(6-methoxyphenol), H2L2 = (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediyl)bis(iminomethylene)bis(6-ethoxyphenol), (RCO2H)-C-1 = 3-methyl-4-nitrobenzoic acid, and (RCO2H)-C-2 = 4-methyl-3-nitrobenzoic acid), were synthesized using multidentate N,O-donor ligands with two pockets. Each complex was characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction and spectral analysis. The noncovalent interactions were analyzed using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, the optical properties of the complexes were studied with a focus on the band gaps. Both complexes were utilized for the fabrication of semiconducting Schottky devices.