In methanol, the reaction of Cu(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O and the hexadentate amine phenol ligand (H(2)bahped) in the presence of triethylamine affords a tetranuclear copper(II) complex having the formula [Cu(4)(mu(4)-O)(bahped)(2)](ClO(4))(2). The X-ray structure of this complex shows a tetrahedral central [Cu(II)(4)(mu(4)-O)]unit coordinated to two hexadentate bridging (via the central ethylenediamine part) ligands. The compound is the first example of a mu(4)-oxo tetranuclear copper(II) complex without any bridging ligand along the six tetrahedral edges. Variable-temperature magnetic data clearly show an S(t) = 0 spin ground state for antiferromagnetic interactions between four (2)B(2) copper(II) ions in a dimer of dimers.

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Based on a combined theoretical-experimental study, we propose that substituted m-phenylene ligands (m-N-Phi-N) can act as tuneable strong ferromagnetic couplers connecting Cu(II) ions; a new complex presenting that bridge with J close to +15 cm(-1) has been suggested and synthesized.