Dinuclear copper(I) and copper(I)/silver(I) complexes with condensed dithiolato ligands.

The Cu(III) complex Pr 4N[Cu{S 2C=( t-Bu-fy)} 2] ( 1) ( t-Bu-fy = 2,7-di- tert-butylfluoren-9-ylidene) reacts with [Cu(PR 3) 4]ClO 4 in 1:1 molar ratio in MeCN to give the dinuclear complexes [Cu 2{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 2S}(PR 3) n ] [ n = 2, R = Ph ( 2a); n = 3, R = To ( 3b); To = p-tolyl]. The analogue of 2a with R = To ( 2b) can be obtained from the reaction of 3b with 1/8 equiv of S 8. Compound 2b establishes a thioketene-exchange equilibrium in solution leading to the formation of [Cu 4{S 2C=( t-Bu-fy)} 2(PTo 3) 4] ( 4b) and [Cu 2{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 3S}(PTo 3) 2] ( 5b). Solid mixtures of 4b and 5b in varying proportions can be obtained when the precipitation of 2b is attempted using MeCN. The reactions of 1 with AgClO 4 and PPh 3, PTo 3 or PCy 3 in 1:1:4 molar ratio in MeCN afford the heterodinuclear complexes [AgCu{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 2S}(PR 3) 3] [R = Ph ( 6a), To ( 6b), Cy ( 6c)]. Complex 6c dissociates PCy 3 in solution to give the bis(phosphine) derivative [AgCu{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 2S}(PCy 3) 2] ( 7c), which undergoes the exchange of [M(PCy 3)] (+) units in CD 2Cl 2 solution to give small amounts of [Cu 2{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 2S}(PCy 3) 2] ( 2c) and [Ag 2{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 2S}(PCy 3) 2] ( 8c). Complexes 6a and b participate in a series of successive equilibria in solution, involving the dissociation of phosphine ligands and the exchange of [M(PCy 3)] (+) units to give 2a or 3b and the corresponding disilver derivatives [Ag 2{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 2S}(PR 3) 2] [R = Ph ( 8a), To ( 8b)], followed by thioketene-exchange reactions to give [AgCu{[SC=( t-Bu-fy)] 3S}(PR 3) 2] [R = Ph ( 9a), To ( 9b)]. Complexes 9a and b can be directly prepared from the reactions of 1 with AgClO 4 and PPh 3 or PTo 3 in 1:1:3 molar ratio in THF. The crystal structures of 3b, 6b, 6c, 7c, and 9a have been solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies and, in the cases of 7c and 9a, reveal the formation of short Ag...Cu metallophilic contacts of 2.8157(4) and 2.9606(6) A, respectively.