Synthesis and crystal structure of poly[[μ-chlorido-μ-(2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine)-copper(I)] ethanol hemisolvate], which shows a new isomeric CuCl(2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine) network.

Reaction of copper(I)chloride with 2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine in ethanol leads to the formation of the title compound, poly[[μ-chlorido-μ-(2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine)-copper(I)] ethanol hemisolvate], {[CuCl(CHN)]·0.5CHOH} or CuCl(2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine) ethanol hemisolvate. Its asymmetric unit consists of two crystallographically independent copper cations, two chloride anions and two 2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine ligands as well as one ethanol solvate mol-ecule in general positions. The ethanol mol-ecule is disordered and was refined using a split model. The methyl H atoms of the 2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine ligands are also disordered and were refined in two orientations rotated by 60° relative to each other. In the crystal structure, each copper cation is tetra-hedrally coordinated by two N atoms of two bridging 2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine ligands and two μ-1,1-bridg-ing chloride anions. Each of the two copper cations are linked by pairs of bridging chloride anions into dinuclear units that are further linked into layers bridging 2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine coligands. These layers are stacked in such a way that channels are formed in which the disordered solvent mol-ecules are located. The topology of this network is completely different from that observed in the two polymorphic modifications of CuCl(2,3-di-methyl-pyrazine) reported in the literature [Jess & Näther (2006). , 7446-7454]. Powder X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that the title compound is unstable and transforms immediately into an unknown crystalline phase.