Synthesis and crystal structure of bis(thiomorpholinyldithiocarbamato)Cu(II) complex and its use as precursor for CuS nanoparticles photocatalyst for the degradation of organic dyes

Abstract

Bis(thiomorpholinyldithicarbamate)Cu(II) complex was prepared and characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The molecular structure revealed a mononuclear copper(II) ion bonded to two thiomorpholinyl dithiocarbamate anion to form a distorted square planar geometry. The compound was thermolyzed at 130°C to prepare CuS nanoparticle confirmed as pure hexagonal covellite crystalline phase by powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD). HRTEM image showed CuS nanoparticle with particle sizes in the range 23.3–48.8 nm. The lattice fringes confirm polycrystalline nanoparticles with an interplanar distance of 0.24 nm that corresponds with the lattice plane (101) of hexagonal CuS. SAED patterns confirmed the crystallinity by showing two separate diffraction rings ascribed to (101) and (102) lattice planes of hexagonal CuS phase. The CuS nanoparticles exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dyes degradation.