Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.48, No.15, 7026-7032, 2009
Multifrequency EPR Studies of [(CuCu1.5)-Cu-1.5](+) for Cu-2(mu-NR2)(2) and Cu-2(mu-PR2)(2) Diamond Cores
Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is used to explore the electronic structures of a series of dicopper complexes of the type {(LXL)Cu}(2+). These complexes contain two four-coordinate copper centers of highly distorted tetrahedral geometries linked by two [LXL](-) ligands featuring bridging amido or phosphido ligands and associated thioether or phosphine chelate donors. Specific chelating [LXL](-) ligands examined in this study include bis-(2-tert-butylsulfanylphenyl)amide (SNS), bis(2-di-iso-butylphosphinophenyl)amide (PNP), and bis(2-di-iso-propylphosphinophenyl)phosphide (PPP). To better map the electronic coupling to copper, nitrogen, and phosphorus in these complexes, X-, S-, and Q-band EPR spectra have been obtained for each complex. The resulting EPR parameters implied by computer simulation are unusual for typical dicopper complexes and are largely consistent with previously published X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory data, where a highly covalent {Cu-2(mu-XR2)(2)}(+) diamond core has been assigned in which removal of an electron from the neutral {Cu-2(mu-XR2)(2)} can be viewed as ligand-centered to a substantial degree. To our knowledge, this is the first family of dicopper diamond core model complexes for which the compendium of X-, S-, and Q-band EPR spectra have been collected for comparison to Cu-A.