Synthesis and characterization of Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes containing ketiminate ligands

A series of Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes containing substituted ketiminate ligands was synthesized. Reaction of CuCl2 with 2 equiv. of Li[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)] in toluene generated dark green solid of Cu[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)]2 (1). Similarly, Cu(I) complex, {Cu[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)]Li[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)]}2 (2) was synthesized by reacting 2 equiv. of Li[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)] with CuCl in toluene at room temperature for 12 h. While the reaction of CuCl with Li[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)] in the presence of triphenylphosphine in THF solution at room temperature, a three-coordinated Cu[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)](PPh3) (3) can be isolated in high yield. Replacing the PPh3 of 3 with N-heterocarbene (NHC) generates Cu[OC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar)](NHC) (4) in low yield. Complexes 2, 3, and 4 were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies and all molecules were structurally characterized by X-ray diffractometry. Two coordination modes of ketiminate ligands were found in the molecular structure of 2, one of which is copper-coordinated terminal ketiminates and the other is lithium–copper-coordinated bridging ketiminates.