Reactions of Mn(ClO₄)₂.6H₂O and Fe(ClO₄)₃.6H₂O with the tetradentate N₂O₂-donor Schiffbases N,NꞋ-bis(salicylidene)-ortho-phenylenediamine and N,NꞋ-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine (H₂salophenand H₂salen, where 2 Hs represent the two dissociable phenolic protons), respectively and the bridging ligand4,4Ꞌ-bipyridine (bipy) in presence of triethyl amine in methanol under ambient conditions produce onedimensional coordination polymers {[Mn(salophen)(μ-bipy)]ClO₄}_n (1) and {[Fe(salen)(μ-bipy)]ClO₄}_n (2)in ~60% yields. Both complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic (IR andDR) measurements. The linear polymeric structures of 1 and 2 have been confirmed by single-crystal X-raycrystallography. The metal centres in these polymers are in distorted octahedral N₄O₂ coordination spheres.Each of the two dibasic tetradentate ligands (salophen^2- and salen^2-) forms an ONNO square-plane aroundthe metal centre, while the two axial coordination sites are occupied by N-atoms of the two bridging bipyligands. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal the high-spin configuration ofmanganese(III) and iron(III) and Curie paramagnetic behaviour of each of the two coordination polymers.

Facile one-pot syntheses of two new one-dimensional coordination polymers {[Mn(salophen)(μ-bipy)]ClO₄}_n and {[Fe(salen)(μ-bipy)]ClO₄}_n have been described. Both polymers were characterised by elemental analyses and solid state spectroscopic and cryomagnetic measurements. Linear chain-like structures of the high-spin Mn(III) and Fe(III) containing Curie paramagnetic polymers were confirmed by single crystal X-ray crystallography.