Is copper(I) really soft? Probing the hardness of Cu(I) with pyridinecarboxaldehyde ligands

Cu(I) complexes of formula Cu(PPh3)2LClO4 [L = 2 or 3 pyridine carboxaldehyde] are synthesised and characterised to explore the coordination of an aldehyde, a hard and neutral oxygen donor to a soft Cu(I) centre. The structural and spectroscopic results illustrate that only in 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, the ‘C=O’ group coordinates to soft Cu(I) centres due to a favourable chelate effect, while in 3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, it remains uncoordinated. Upon chelation via N and O donors, 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde resembles bipyridine or phenanthroline in terms of its bite angle and spectroscopic features. Such chelation can be easily challenged with coordinating anions like bromide, or more basic pyridines. A drastic change in the MLCT absorption signals the decomplexation of the ‘C=O’ group. The observed results point out that the Cu(I) centre can readily exchange the hard ‘O’ donor for softer ligands.