Reactivity of metallic copper with acidic organic compounds in the presence of molecular oxygen. Crystal structure of [{Cu(NCO)(py)2}2]·H2O

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The reactivity of metallic copper with organic compounds containing acidic hydrogen atoms such as MeOH, PhOH, PhCO2H, and MeNO2in the presence of O2 and pyridine has been studied. The reaction with MeNO2 is particularly interesting as it gives cyanide, isocyanate, and nitrite compounds, depending on the reaction conditions. The crystal structure of a minor product, the previously unknown complex [{Cu(NCO)(py)2}2]·H2O, has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. It consists of a copper dimer, where each metal is in a tetrahedral arrangement determined by two N atoms from pyridine ligands and two N atoms from two isocyanate ligands acting as asymmetric bridges; angles at the bridging N atoms are very acute, 68.6(5) and 71.8(6)°, and the Cu ⋯ Cu distance is very short, 2.396(3)Å.