Synthesis and crystal structures of bromo(1,10-phenanthroline-N,N′) tris(2-cyanoethyl)phosphinocopper(I) and bromo(2,2′-bipyridine-N,N′) tris(2-cyanoethyl)phosphinocopper(I)

The two new complexes bromo(1,10-phenanthroline-N,N′)tris(2- cyanoethyl)phosphinocopper(I) and bromo(2,2′-bipyridine-N,N′)tris(2- cyanoethyl)phosphinocopper(I) were synthesized and their X-ray crystal structures were determined. The first complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with the crystal cell parameters a = 7.7596(7) Å, b = 11.470(1) Å, c = 12.803(1) Å, α = 78.884(1)^°, β = 79.759(1)^°, γ = 86.867(1)^°, V = 1100.0(2) ų and Z = 2. The second complex crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with the crystal cell parameters a = 10.614(1) Å, b = 12.345(1) Å, c = 31.903(3) Å, V = 4180.3(7) ų and Z = 8. In both compounds, the copper(I) ion is four-coordinate with a distorted tetrahedral geometry. In the 1,10-phenanthroline complex, an intermolecular dipole-dipole interaction between two cyano groups stabilizes an unfavorable synclinal conformation of one cyanoethyl group of the phosphine ligand.