Structural studies of copper catalyzed hydroxylation reactions

The reaction of 2,6-diacetylpyridine, CuCl2, and semicarbazide hydrochloride was studied as a function of pH to yield three different products: aqua(2-acetylsemicarbazone-3-hydroxo-6-acetylpyridine) chlorocopper(II) hemihydrate, 1, bis(2,6-diacetylpyridinedisemicarbazone)copper(I) chloride dimer, 2, and bis(2,6-diacetylpyridinedisemicarbazone)copper(II) chloride dimer, 3. The reaction of 1 with a mol of semicarbazide hydrochloride gave chloro(3-hydroxo-2,6-diacetylpyridinedisemicarbazone)copper(II) chloride hydrate, 4, and with a mol of semicarbazide hydrochloride and cupric chloride gave aquachlorocopper(II)(μ-chloro)(μ′-[2-acetylsemicarbazone-O,N-3-hydroxy-6-acetylsemicarbazonepyridine-O,N,N])aquacopper(II) trihydrate, 5. The crystal structures of compounds 1–5 were determined by X-ray diffraction. Some observations on the course of the reactions are given.