We have synthesized a number of copper(I) oxalate complexes by the straightforward acid-base reaction of Cu2O with oxalic acid in a suitable solvent in the presence of a ligand L. The complexes incorporated a variety of ligands such as triphenylphosphine, 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, triphenylphosphite, diisopropyl sulfide, 1,5-cyclooctadiene and cyclohexylisocyanide. The general formula of the complexes was LnCu(μ2-C2O4)CuLn (n = 1 or 2). With L = norbornadiene (nbd), a coordination polymer Cu2C2O4(nbd) was generated. Nitrogen ligands such as 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, acetonitrile or pyridine resulted in the known mononuclear tetrahedral complex ions [CuLn]+ (n = 2 or 4) with nitrogen coordinated to copper. With di-2-(1-di-(2-picolyl)amino)propyl disulfide as the ligand, a Cu(II) picolylamine oxalate coordination polymer was formed instead of the expected Cu(I) oxalate complex. All these compounds were structurally characterized by single-crystal or powder X-ray diffraction methods.

Synthesis and structural characterization of copper(I) oxalate complexes

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.