Syntheses and structures of tetranuclear and hexanuclear copper(I) complexes with iminomethanethiolato bridges derived from isothiocyanate

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0277-5387(95)90868-H

Methylisothiocyanate, MeN=C=S, in ethanol reacted with copper(I) giving a tetranuclear complex [Cu{μ3-SC(=NMe)(OEt)}]4 (1). Similar reaction of allylisothiocyanate, CH2=CHCH2N=C=S, and copper(I) in methanol gave ahexanuclear complex, [Cu{μ3-SC(=NC3H5)(OMe)}]6 (2). They show tetrah edral Cu4 and octahedral Cu6 cores, respectively.There are two structural similarities in both complexes: (i) a thiolato moiety [-N=C(S(-))-] which bridges three copper atoms with a monodentate nitrogen atom and a bridging sulphur atom and (ii) a trigonal planar geometry for copper (I) coordinated by one nitrogen atom and two sulphur atoms. Each iminomethanethiolato ligand is formed in situ in solvent. (1)H NMR shows the reaction is initiated by a coordination of an isothiocyanate to copper(I).