Syntheses of copper(i) cis-1,3,5-tri-iminocyclohexane complexes

Abstract

Copper(I) complexes of the ligand cis-1,3,5-tris(cinnamylideneamino)cyclohexane (L) have been prepared from a versatile precursor complex, [Cu^I(L)NCMe]BF₄, which incorporates a labile acetonitrile ligand that can be exchanged to give a range of new Cu(L)X complexes (where X = Cl, Br, NO₂, SPh). ¹H NMR spectra and X-ray structures of the Cl, Br and NO₂ complexes show L coordinated in a symmetric fashion about the copper centre. The complexes have been further characterised using UV/Visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. CuLCl shows an electrochemically reversible Cu^I/II redox couple at 0.51 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) while the CuLNO₂ complex shows an analogous quasi-reversible wave at 0.41 V (vs. Ag/AgCl).