The crystal structures of [Cu(phen)2(O2CMe)]X (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) complexes: pseudo cis-distorted octahedral structures and fluxional copper(II) stereochemistries

Abstract

The X-ray crystal structures of four cation-distortion isomers of the [Cu(Phen)₂(O₂CMe)]⁺(phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) cation are reported and shown to contain the cis-octahedral CuN₄O₂ chromophore; X-ray and e.s.r. data are consistent with a fluxional CuN₄O₂ structure, which is best described as a psuedo cis-distorted octahedral copper(II) stereochemistry in three of the complexes, and consequently these structural variations can be related to the dynamic pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect.