Group IB organometallic chemistry: XVI. Complex formation between 2-(dimethylamino)-phenylcopper with copper(I) or silver halides. Synthesis and structural characterization of hexanuclear (2-Me2NC6H4)4Cu6-nMnX2 (M = Cu or Ag) cluster compounds

The $\text{2}\text{1}$ complexes (2RCu · MX) between 2-(dimethylamino)phenylcopper (RCu) and CuX (X = Cl, Br or I) or AgBr have been prepared in two ways (i) from the $\text{2}\text{3}$ reaction of 2-(dimethylamino)phenyllithium with cuprous halide and (ii) from the reaction of RCu with excess of the metalIB halide.The structure of bis(2-dimethylamino)phenylcopper] cuprous bromide, which is dimeric (R₄Cu₆Br₂) in the solid state, has been determined by X-ray analysis. The bonding in this hexanuclear cluster (CuCu ranging from 2.48 to 2.70 Å, multicenter bonded aryl groups) is discussed. Molecular weight determinations and ¹H NMR spectroscopy reveal a similar hexanuclear structure for the R₄Cu₆X₂ complexes in benzene solution. NMR spectroscopy indicates that in solution the mixed-metal cluster compounds R₄Cu_6-nAg_nBr₂ are not stable but enter into interaggregate exchange reactions. A possible pathway involving trinuclear species R₂Cu_3-nAg_nX as intermediates is proposed.