Concomitant formation of differently coordinated copper(II) complexes in the same reaction: Structural studies of [trans-Cu(γ-picoline) 2(H 2O) 4](p-toluene sulfonate) 2·2H 2O and [trans-Cu(γ-picoline) 4](p-toluenesulfonate) 2·2H 2O

Two new copper(II) complexes comprising of coordinated and non-coordinated p-toluenesulfonate, [trans-Cu(γ-pic) 2(H 2O) 4](pts) 2·2H 2O, 1 and [trans-Cu(γ-pic) 4(pts) 2]·2H 2O, 2 (where p-toluenesulfonate = pts and γ-picoline = γ-pic) have been isolated from the same reaction mixture. These complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques, molar conductance, TGA, magnetic susceptibility studies, and single crystal X-ray structure determination. Both complexes crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system with P2 1/c space group having cell dimensions of a = 8.0203(2) , b = 19.4471(4) , c = 10.3000(3) , β = 93.4420(9)°, V = 1603.61(7) 3, (Z = 2) in 1 and a = 10.1473(2) , b = 10.9948(2) , c = 18.0952(5) , β = 93.0340(9)°, V = 2015.96(8) 3, (Z = 2) in 2. Single -crystal X-ray structure determinations revealed the presence of ionic complex, viz: one complex cation [trans-Cu(γ-pic) 2(H 2O) 4], two pts anions and two water molecules of crystallization in the complex 1 and neutral [trans-Cu(γ-pic) 4(pts) 2] and two water molecules of crystallization in 2. The crystal packing in both complexes is stabilized by OH⋯O, CH⋯O hydrogen bonds and CH⋯π interactions.