Synthesis and Structures of Cuprous Triptycylthiolate Complexes

Abstract

A synthesis of 1-(thioacetyl)triptycene (5), a convenient protected form of 1-(thiolato)triptycene [STrip](-), is described, a key transformation being the high yield conversion of tert-butyl 1-triptycenyl sulfide (8) to 5 by a protocol employing BBr(3)/AcCl. Syntheses of the two-coordinate copper(I) compounds [Bu(4)N][Cu(STrip)(2)], [Bu(4)N]10, and [(Cu(IMes)(STrip)] (13) proceed readily by chloride displacement from CuCl and [Cu(IMes)Cl], respectively. Reaction of 10 with Ph(3)SiSH or Me(3)SiI produces the heteroleptic species [Cu(STrip)(SSiPh(3))](-) (11) and [Cu(STrip)I](-) (12), detected by mass spectrometry, in mixture with the homoleptic bis(thiolate) anions. Structural identification by X-ray crystallography of the ligand precursor molecules 9-(thioacetyl)anthracene (4, triclinic and orthorhombic polymorphs), tert-butyl 9-anthracenyl sulfide (7), 5, and tert-butyl 1-triptycenyl sulfide (8) are presented. Crystallographic characterization of bis(9-anthracenyl)sulfide (3), which features a C-S-C angle of 104.0° and twist angle of 54.8° between anthracenyl planes, is also given. A crystal structure of [Bu(4)N][(STrip)], [Bu(4)N]9, provides an experimental measure of 144.6° for the ligand cone angle. The crystal structures of [Bu(4)N]10 and 13 are reported, the former of which reveals an unexpectedly small C-S···S-C torsion angle of ∼41° (average of two values), which confers a near "cis" disposition of the triptycenyl groups with respect the S-Cu-S axis. This conformation is governed by interligand π···π and CH···π interactions. A crystal structure of an adventitious product, [Bu(4)N][(Cu-STrip)(6)(μ(6)-Br)]·[Bu(4)N][PF(6)], [Bu(4)N]14·[Bu(4)N][PF(6)] is described, which reveals a cyclic hexameric structure previously unobserved in cuprous thiolate chemistry. The Cu(6)S(6) ring displays a centrosymmetric cyclohexane chair type conformation with a Br(-) ion residing at the inversion center and held in place by apparent soft-soft interactions with the Cu(I) ions.