Synthesis of an unprecedented bicapped adamantoid [Cu6(mu2-I)(mu3-I)4(mu4-I)(m-tolyl3P)4(CH3CN)2] cluster

The reaction of copper(I) iodide with tri-m-tolylphosphine (m-tolyl(3)P) in acetonitrile yielded the cluster Cu(6)(mu2-I)(mu3-I)4(mu4-I)(m-tolyl(3)P)4(CH(3)CN)2] (1), with a bicapped adamantoid geometry. In this compound, four Cu atoms are coordinated to four terminally bonded m-tolyl(3)P ligands, two Cu atoms are bonded to two CH(3)CN ligands, and iodide ligands have mu2-I, mu3-I, and mu4-I bonding modes. This compound has four CuI(3)P and two CuI(3)N cores, and geometry around each Cu center is distorted tetrahedral.The polarizable iodide ligand and the position of the methyl group in the phenyl ring attached to the P atom appear to have played the pivotal role in the formation of monomeric bicapped adamantoid geometry, which is unique in copper chemistry.