Probing stepwise reaction of NNP-ligand copper(I) complex with elemental sulfur by using N-heterocyclic carbene as a trapper

The dinuclear NNP-ligand copper(I) complex o-N═CH(C(4)H(3)N)-PPh(2)C(6)H(4)](2)Cu(2) (1) has been synthesized by the reaction of (CuMes)(4) (Mes = 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)) with N-((1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-methylene)-2-(diphenylphosphino)benzenamine under an elimination of MesH. Further reaction of 1 with an excess of S(8) produced a mononuclear Cu(II) complex o-N═CH(C(4)H(3)N)-P(S)Ph(2)C(6)H(4)](2)Cu (5) and CuS. CuS was identified by Raman spectroscopy and 1 and 5 were clearly confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The N-heterocyclic carbene was employed to react with 1 to give a mononuclear o-N═CH(C(4)H(3)N)-PPh(2)C(6)H(4)]Cu{CN(iPr)CMe](2)} (2). The reactions of 2 were carried out with (1)/(8), (2)/(8), and (5)/(8) equiv of S(8), leading to compounds o-N═CH(C(4)H(3)N)-P(S)Ph(2)C(6)H(4)]Cu{CN(iPr)CMe](2)} (3), o-N═CH(C(4)H(3)N)-P(S)Ph(2)C(6)H(4)]Cu (4), and 5 respectively, in which CuS was generated in the third reaction and S═CN(iPr)CMe](2) in the latter two reactions. The clean confirmation of 2-4 demonstrates a stepwise reaction process of 1 with S(8) to 5 and CuS and the N-heterocyclic carbene acts well as a trapping agent.