Thallium(I), Silver(I), and Mixed Thallium(I)/Copper(I) Clusters with Bridging {Me2Si(N‐C6H4‐2‐SPh)2}2– Ligands

The S‐functionalized aminosilane Me₂Si(NH‐C₆H₄‐2‐SPh)₂ (H₂L) ( 1 ) was prepared from dichlorodimethylsilane and lithiated 2‐(phenylthio)aniline. Treatment of compound 1 with two equivalents of n‐butyllithium led to the dilithium derivative Li₂L, which was used in subsequent reactions with MCl (M = Tl, Cu, Ag) to prepare the complexes [Tl₂L] ( 2 ), [Cu₂Tl₂L₂] · 2THF ( 3a ), [Cu₂Tl₂L₂(THF)₂] ( 3b ), and [Ag₄L₂(THT)₂] ( 4 ) (THT = tetrahydrothiophene). Compound 2 consists of two thallium atoms, which are connected by a L^2– ligand to give a puckered Tl₂N₂ ring with Tl–N distances of 255(1)–268(1) pm. Compounds 3a and 3b are heterobimetallic complexes, which are based on [Cu₂L₂]^2– cores featuring a Cu₂N₄Si₂ ring with linearly coordinated copper atoms [Cu–N: 190.7(3)–192.5(3) pm] and two peripherally attached Tl atoms [Tl–N: 272.7(3)–281.9(3) pm]. The molecular structure of the tetranuclear silver(I) complex 4 is closely related to the structure of compounds 3a and 3b by replacement of the Cu and Tl atoms with Ag atoms. The Ag–N distances are 217.5(3)–245.7(3) pm.