Copper(I) carboxylates attract special attention due to numerous catalytic applications and rich photoluminescent properties. They exhibit a remarkable structural diversity for only a few structurally characterized complexes. Structural types of copper(I) carboxylates range from discrete to infinite motifs based on mono-, di-, tetra-, or hexanuclear cores and a variety of intermolecular interactions such as Cu�Cu, Cu�O, and Cu�p between them. We have found that aromatic Cu(I) carboxylates tend to form tetra- and hexanuclear complexes, while the known aliphatic carboxylates exhibit di- and tetranuclear cores. Herein we report several Cu(I) propionates, including [Cu4(O2CCH2CH3)4], [Cu4(O2CCH2CH3)3(O2CCF3)], and [Cu4(O2CCF2CF3)4], that have tetranuclear copper(I) core structures when crystallized from either solution or gas phase. The effect of the stepwise change in Lewis acidity on the solid-state packing of these copper(I) carboxylates has been investigated by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction methods. The implications of structural variations on the photoluminescent properties will be discussed.

Tetranuclear copper(I) carboxylates: The effect of a stepwise increase in Lewis acidity on solid state structures and photoluminescence

240th National Meeting (2010)

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