Synthesis and Characterization of Copper(I) Complexes Containing Tri(2‐Pyridylmethyl)Amine Ligand

Reaction of copper halides CuX (X=Cl, Br, I) with tri(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine) (TPMA) in THF under N 2 affords a series of monomeric copper(I) complexes CuX(TPMA) (X=Cl ( 1 ), Br ( 2 ) and I ( 3 )). Treatment of [CuCl(TPMA)] ( 1 ) with 0.5 equivalent of 1,4‐diisocyanobenzene following by equimolar amount of NaBF 4 affords a novel binuclear complex [(TPMA)Cu(μ‐1,4‐CNC 6 H 4 NC)Cu(TPMA)](BF 4 ) 2 ( 4 ). The copper(I) halide TPMA complexes show interesting fluxional behaviors in temperature dependence in the 1 H NMR spectrum that can be explained by the dissociation and reassociation of the pyridyl group and alkylamine nitrogen of TPMA ligand. The crystal structures of 1 , 3 and 4 are determined by an X‐ray diffractometer. Complexes 1 and 3 are distorted tetrahedral coordinates with strong bonding between three pyridyl N atoms and the corresponding halide donor. Crystallographic results of 4 clearly indicates two Cu(I) ions are bridged by 1,4‐diisocyanobenzene, forming a centro‐symmetrical homobinuclear complex with a “dangling” uncoordinated pyridyl group.