Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Novel Copper(I) Complexes of a Phosphanylborane

Abstract

The novel copper iodide clusters [Cu3(-I)(3-I)2(PH2BH2·NMe3)3] (2) and [Cu4(-I)2(3-I)2(PH2BH2·NMe3)3] (3) were synthesized by treating CuI with the primary phosphine (H2PBH2·NMe3). The novel features of both compounds, which have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, are the unsymmetrical constitution of the copper iodide core due to the influence of the monodentate phosphorus ligand. This results in copper atoms with different coordination numbers within the compound. Complex 2, the major product of the reaction, contains a distorted octahedral Cu3I3-core, in which one vertex is missing. Complex 3 was isolated as a by-product and is composed of a Cu4I4-core in a distorted octahedral coordination.