Copper(I) halide chelates of the wide bite angle diphosphane xantphos: Crystal structures of [CuBr(xantphos)(dmpymtH)] and [CuI(xantphos)(imdtH2)] · CH3CN

Copper(I) halide complexes containing the diphosphane xantphos (4,5-bis(diphenylphosphano)-9,9-dimethyl-xanthene) and some heterocyclic thione ligands have been synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR, IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses and melting point determinations. The complexes can be readily obtained by the addition of the thione ligand to a CuX-diphosphane adduct in acetonitrile/methanol solution. The molecular structures of [CuBr(xantphos)(dmpymtH)] and [CuI(xantphos)(imdtH2)] · CH3CN have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Each of these structures features a tetrahedral copper(I) center with two phosphorus atoms from the chelating diphos ligand, one halogen atom and the exocyclic sulfur atom of the heterocyclic thioamide unit. Rapid decomposition of the mixed-ligand complexes via ligand dissociation occurs upon standing of their acetonitrile solutions at room temperature for several days. The resulting colored crystals, which not only on elemental analysis but also on the basis of their NMR and IR spectra, are found to be phosphane-free coordination polymers of composition [CuX(thione)].

Graphical abstractThe behavior of the diphos ligand 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphosphano) xanthene (xantphos) towards coordination of copper(I) halides in the presence of some heterocyclic thione ligands (L) has been investigated. The diphos ligand acts as a chelate whereby the thiones are terminally bound through the exocyclic sulfur atom, leading to the formation of monomeric complexes of type [CuX(xantphos)L]. The crystal structures of two examples of the novel complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide