Synthesis, spectral and electrochemical study of coordination molecules Cu4OX6L4: 4-cyanopyridine Cu4OBrnCl(6−n)(4-CNpy)4 complexes

New 4-cyanopyridine halide and mixed-halide Cu4OBrnCl(6−n)(4-CNpy)4 complexes (4-CNpy = 4-cyanopyridine, n = 0–6) were synthesised, characterised, and studied by infrared spectra, electronic spectra, and cyclic voltammetry. Infrared spectra revealed donor-acceptor vibrational couplings of the Cu4O, Cu-Cl, and Cu-N stretching vibrations with the in-plane and out-of-plane pyridine ring vibrations. The infrared spectra, electronic spectra, and half-wave potentials correspond to a weak donor and a strong acceptor behaviour of the 4-cyanopyridine ligands and to π-back bonding, Cu(II)→pyridine rings. The results were compared with the related pyridine and 4-substituted pyridine complexes.