A new one-dimensional azido bridged manganese(III) polymer, [Mn(salabza)(μ-1,3-N₃)]n (1), and a centrosymmetric tetranuclear azido bridged copper(II) complex [Cu₄(salabza)₂(μ-1,1-N₃)₂(N₃)₂(HOCH₃)₂] (2) have been synthesized and characterized, and the X-ray crystal structures of (1) and (2) have been determined. Spectral and electrochemical studies are also reported.

New azido-bridged [Mn^III(salabza)(μ-1,3-N₃)]_n (1), and [Cu^II₄(salabza)₂(μ-1,1-N₃)₂(N₃)₂(HOCH₃)₂],(2) complexes with an unsymmetrical Schiff base ligand, {H₂salabza=N,N’-bis(salicylidene)-2-aminobenzylamine}, have been synthesized, characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical methods, and their crystal structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction. In complex 1, each manganese(III) atom is coordinated with N₂O₂ donor atoms from salabza and two adjacent Mn(III) centers are linked by an end-to-end (EE) azide bridge to form a helical polymeric chain with octahedral geometry around the Mn(III) centers. Complex 2 is a centrosymmetric tetranuclear compound containing two types of Cu(II) centers with square pyramidal geometry. Each terminal copper atom is surrounded by N₂O₂ atoms of a salabza ligand, and the oxygen atom of the methanol molecule. Each central copper(II) ion is coordinated with two phenoxo oxygen atoms from one salabza, one terminal azido, and two end-on (EO) bridging azido ligands. The central copper(II) ions are linked to each other by the two end-on (EO) azido groups.