A Copper(II) complex of a new hydrazone: A solid-state single source precursor for the preparation of both Cu and CuO nanoparticles

A novel hydrazone, ethyl 4-(pyridine-4yl-methylene) hydrazinecarboxylate (C₉H₁₁N₃O₂; 4-py), and Cu(II) complex [Cu(4-py)₂(CH₃COO)₂(H₂O)] (1) were synthesized and characterized via elemental analysis, FT-IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectral techniques. The structure of 1 was determined through single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure consists of monomers in which copper is penta-coordinated through a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The pyridine nitrogen atoms of two monodentate 4-py ligands and oxygen atoms from two monodentate acetate anions form the basal plane. The apical site is occupied by a water molecule. Nano sized copper metal (∼5 nm) and copper oxide (∼10 nm) were separately prepared via thermal decomposition of the as-prepared copper complex by varying the atmospheric conditions under which the complex was calcined at 400 °C for 1 h. Powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns confirmed that the prepared Cu and CuO nanoparticles were of high purity and crystallinity. Hence, this complex could be used as a single solid-state precursor to prepare both Cu and CuO nanoparticles via low temperature decomposition under different atmospheric conditions.