Complex 2 consists of two identical units, each containing three interacting Cu(I) ions linked in such a way as to provide a paddle-wheel like hexanuclear cage structure in which each sulfur atom is bridged
between two Cu(I) centers. In the structure of complex 2, four copper(I) ions are tetrahedrally bonded by two sulfur, one nitrogen and one Cu3 ion, whereas each of two Cu3 centers is bridged between Cu1 and Cu2 centers and also bonded to two sulfur and one nitrogen atom in a trigonal bipyramidal geometry. The ligand acts as uninegative tridentate in [Cu6(eptu)6] (2) and chelating uninegative bidentate in [Co(eptu)3] (3). The crystal structures of the ligand and the complexes are stabilized by inter/intramolecular hydrogen bonding, providing the paddle-wheel like hexanuclear structure for complex 2 and a supramolecular framework for the ligand and complex 3.