ABSTRACT
A series of compounds, namely, [Cu8(µ4-H){S2CNMeCH2Fc}6](PF6) (1), [Cu7(µ4-H) {S2CN(i)PrCH2Fc}6] (2), [Cu3{S2CN(Bz) (CH2Fc)}2(dppf)2](PF6) (3), and [Ag2{S2CNMe(CH2Fc)}2(PPh3)2] (4) (dppf = 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene), supported by multiferrocene assemblies, were synthesized. All the compounds were characterized by (1)H NMR, Fourier transform infrared, elemental analysis, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry techniques. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis revealed that 1 is a monocationic octanuclear Cu(I) cluster and that 2 is a neutral heptanuclear Cu(I) cluster with tetracapped tetrahedral (1) and tricapped tetrahedral (2) geometries entrapped with an interstitial hydride, anchored by six ferrocene units at the periphery of the core. Compounds 3 and 4 comprise trimetallic Cu(I) and dimetallic Ag(I) cores enfolded by four and two ferrocene moieties. Interestingly both chelating and bridging modes of binding are observed for dppf ligand in 3. Further the formation and isolation of polyhydrido copper clusters [Cu28H15{S2CN(i)PrCH2Fc}12](PF6) (5) and [Cu28H15{S2CN(n)Bu2}12](PF6) (7), stabilized by bulky ferrocenyl and n-butyl dithiocarbamate ligands, was demonstrated. They are readily identified by (2)H NMR studies on their deuterium analogues, [Cu28D15{S2CN(i)PrCH2Fc}12](PF6) (6) and [Cu28D15{S2CN(n)Bu2}12](PF6) (8). Though the structure details as well as spectroscopic characterizations of 5 are yet to be investigated, the compound 7 is fully characterized by variety of spectroscopy including single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The cyclic voltammetry studies for compounds 1, 2, and 4 display irreversible redox peaks for Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) couple wherein the reduction peaks are not well-resolved due to some adsorption of the complex onto the electrode surface.
ABSTRACT
Neutral tetrahedral [Cu4(Se2CNnPr2)4] (1), monocationic hydride-centered tetracapped tetrahedral [Cu8(H){Se2CNR2}6]+ (R = nPr, 2H; Et, 3H) and neutral hydride-centered tricapped tetrahedral [Cu7(H){Se2CNR2}6] (R = nPr, 4H; Et, 5H) clusters were formed. They are the first Cu(I) complexes supported by dialkyl diselenocarbamates. The as-synthesized complexes 2H and 3H, formed from a reaction mixture of Cu(I) salts, diselenocarbamates, and [BH4]− in an 8:6:1 ratio, can be further reduced to 4H and 5H, respectively, in the presence of one equiv. of [BH4]−. Replacement of [BH4]− with [BD4]− afforded the deuteride analogues [Cu8(D){Se2CNR2}6]+ (R = nPr, 2D; Et, 3D) and [Cu7(D){Se2CNR2}6] (R = nPr, 4D; Et, 5D), which confirm the presence of hydride in the corresponding (2H, 3H, 4H and 5H) compounds. These complexes were fully characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, and 1H, 2H and 77Se NMR spectroscopy, and their molecular structures were unequivocally established by single crystal X-ray crystallographic analyses (1, 2H5H). The hydride-encapsulated copper frameworks of (2H, 3H) and (4H, 5H) reveal a tetracapped tetrahedral cage of Cu8 and a tricapped tetrahedral cage of Cu7, respectively, which are enclosed within a Se12 icosahedron constituted by six dialkyl diselenocarbamate ligands. Compounds 2H and 3H display orange emission in both the solid and solution state under UV irradiation at 77 K. In addition, the thermolysis behaviors of 2H were studied to demonstrate the potential of these compounds as single-source precursors for copper selenide nanocomposites, which were analyzed by XRD, EDX, and SEM techniques.