The infrared spectra of complexes with planar dithiooxamides X. The Cu(LH2)2X1 complexes

In this article, the preparation, X-ray powder results and vibrational properties of a new type of complex with planar dithiooxamides are discussed. In acetonitrile, Cu(I) can form complexes with the formula Cu(LH₂)₂X₁ (X = Cl, Br) where LH₂ is an N,N'-disubstituted dithiooxamide. Complexes with N,N'-dimethyldithiooxamide and N,N'-diethyldithiooxamide have been prepared. A thorough vibrational analysis with infrared and Raman techniques was performed, assisted by H/D and ⁶³Cu/⁶⁵Cu isotope substitution. The vibrational study indicates the presence of an inversion centre in the structure. This leads to the proposal of a very unusual six-coordinate structure for these compounds, with the two dithiooxamide ligands, having S-cis conformation, coordinated to the same copper and with the halogens bridged between two different copper atoms. Confirmation of this result was attempted by X-ray analysis, but although several methods were tried to obtain crystals, only powder X-ray data could be obtained, which could not give a definitive answer. Since such six-coordinate Cu(I) has never been described before, a less rigourous interpretation of the vibrational data was followed, leading to a square-pyramidal five-coordinate structure, with a rather weak bond between Cu(I) and a terminal halogen. The latter structure, with the data available up to now, seems a bit more likely, since five-coordination for Cu(I) has already been described.