Copper(II)-disulphide interaction: a spectroscopic and electrochemical study of the interaction of copper(II) with an imidazole-containing disulphide

Summary The interaction of copper(II) salts with the imidazole-containing disulphide 5-(1,2,5-dithiazaepan-5-ylmethylene)-4-methyl-2-ethyl imidazole (MAMI) in MeOH have been investigated. The 11 Cu(ClO₄)₂MAMI system exhibited a single ligand field band at ca. 12200cm^-1, an intense shoulder at ca. 31500 cm^-1 and a less intense split feature at 24400 and 25300cm^-1 assignable to S() Cu^II and S() Cu^II charge transfer (CT) transitions, respectively. The e.p.r. parameters suggested the presence of a CuN₂SO chromophore, however; the 11 Cu(NO₃)₂MAMI system did not exhibit a S Cu^II CT band and the g value was comparatively high. An electrochemical study of the 11 Cu(ClO₄)₂MAMI system in MeOH revealed that the copper-disulphide interaction, though weaker, would confer a high redox potential as well as reversibility, similar to the copper-thioether interaction.