Hypodentate coordination of N,N-di(alkyl/aryl)-N′-acylthiourea derivatives in Cu(I) complexes

New four-coordinated tetrahedral Cu(I) complexes of the general formula [CuCl(HL)(PPh3)2] have been synthesized from the reactions between [CuCl2(PPh3)2] and N-(dibenzylcarbamothioyl)benzamide (HL1) or N-(methylpentylcarbamothioyl)benzamide (HL2) in benzene. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV–Vis, 1H, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of [CuCl(HL1)(PPh3)2] (1) and [CuCl(HL2)(PPh3)2] (2) were determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Each complex displays a distorted tetrahedral, ClP2S, coordination geometry with hypodentate coordination of acylthiourea ligands which coordinate the Cu(I) centre through sulfur atom exclusively.

Graphical abstractTwo tetrahedral Cu(I) complexes of the type [CuCl(HL)(PPh3)2] {HL = N-[(dibenzyl/methylpentyl)carbamothioyl]benzamide} have been prepared and characterized by analytical, spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic methods. The ligand (HL) exhibited rare monodentate coordination through sulfur atom.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Cu(I) complexes containing N-di(alkyl/aryl)-N′-acylthiourea and PPh3 have been reported. ► Hypodentate coordination only through sulfur was observed. ► Complexes were characterized by spectroscopic methods. ► Molecular structures of complexes were determined by X-ray crystallography.