Tetranuclear homoleptic copper and silver aryls: 2,4,6-Triethylphenylcopper and 2,4,6-triethylphenylsilver

The ethyl analogues of mesitylcopper and mesitylsilver, 2,4,6-triethylphenylcopper and 2,4,6-triethylphenylsilver, have been prepared and characterised by means of crystal structure determination. Three different compounds, [Cu4(Et3Ph)4] · 2C6H5CH3 (1), View the MathML source[Cu4(Et3Ph)4]·12(C2H5)2O(2) and View the MathML source[Ag4(Et3Ph)4]·12C6H5CH3(3), have thus been obtained by crystallisation from toluene or diethylether/tetrahydrofuran. All three show the square-planar metal core, most characteristic of homoleptic copper and silver aryls. The ordered (1) or disordered (2 and 3) solvent molecules are situated in the channels formed between the organometallic complexes, there being no strong directional interactions between the solvent and 2,4,6-triethylphenylcopper or 2,4,6-triethylphenylsilver.