[Cu(CN)en2]I – Copper Amine Propellers

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung. B, A journal of chemical sciences Vol. 61; no. 7; pp. 775 - 778
• Main Authors: Bräu, Michael F., Pfitzner, Arno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 01.07.2006
• Subjects: Amines; Copper (II) Complexes; Cyanide
• ISSN: 0932-0776; 1865-7117
• DOI: 10.1515/znb-2006-0701

Light blue [Cu(CN)en ]I was prepared by reaction of copper iodide with ethylenediamine (en) and potassium cyanide in acetonitrile in air. It crystallizes in the space group C2 (No. 5) with a = 11.082(6), b = 7.155(2), c = 9.017(3) Å , β = 127.00(3)°, and Z = 2. The structure was refined from 1069 unique reflections and 90 parameters. The refinement converged to R1=0.018 and wR2=0.041 (all reflections). Copper has a trigonal bi-pyramidal environment formed by two en molecules and one CN− anion. The iodine anion shows no direct contact to the Cu center. The propeller shaped complexes [Cu(CN)en are all oriented parallel in the crystal structure. [Cu(CN)en cations and I anions form a zincblende related arrangement.