Chelating and bridging diphosphinoamine (PPh2)2N(iPr) complexes of copper(I)

The ligand bis(diphenylphosphino)isopropylamine (dppipa) has been shown to be a versatile ligand sporting different coordination modes and geometries dictated by copper(I). Most of the molecular structures were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. It is found in a chelating mode, in a monomeric complex when the ligand to copper ratio is 2:1. A tetrameric complex is formed when low ratios of ligand to metal (1:2) were used. But with increasing ratios of ligand to metal (1:1 and 2:1), a trimer or a dimer was obtained depending on the crystallization conditions. Variable temperature ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectra of these complexes in solution showed that the Cu–P bond was labile and the highly strained 4-membered structure chelate found in the solid state readily converted to a bridged structures. On the other hand, complexes with the ligand in a bridging mode in the solid state did not form chelated structures in solution. The effect of adding tetra-alkylammonium salts to solutions of various complexes of dppipa were probed by ³¹P{¹H} NMR and revealed the effect of counter ions on the stability of complexes in solution.