Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Novel Copper(I) Clusters with Bridging Silyl Amide Ligands

Treatment of copper(I) chloride with R₂Si(NLiPh)₂ (R = Me, Ph) in thf led to the formation of the octanuclear cluster compounds [Cu₈{(R₂Si(NPh)₂}₄] [R = Me ( 1 ), Ph ( 2 ).] Compound 1 crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4/n, with a = 1505.41(5) and c = 1911.32(7) pm. The X‐ray crystal structure determination revealed a cube shaped Cu₈ cluster core with μ₄ bridging Me₂Si(NPh)₂^2– ligands. The copper atoms display an almost linear coordination with Cu–N distances in the range of 191.1(3)–191.4(3) pm. The Cu–Cu distances are 265.7(1)–267.3(1) pm. Compound 2 forms monoclinic crystals, space group P2₁/n, with a = 1461.87(4), b = 2483.77(6), c = 2725.49(8) pm, β = 100.77(1)°. The cluster core of compound 2 consists formally of two mutually perpendicular arranged trigonal prisms, which share a common square face. Like in the case of compound 1 the square faces of the cluster core are capped by μ₄ bridging Ph₂Si(NPh)₂^2– ligands. The copper atoms adopt a nearly linear N–Cu–N coordination with Cu–N distances of 190.0(4)–195.1(4) pm. The Cu–Cu distances are 252.3(1)–305.6(1) pm.