Preparation of bis(imidazole)copper(II) dibenzoate by a new synthetic method: Oxidative addition of dibenzoyl peroxide on metallic copper

Abstract

Dibenzoyl peroxide undergoes oxidative addition on metallic copper powder with imidazole (C₃H₄N₂) in a mixed solvent (ethanol, methanol and tetrahydrofuran) and affords the complex [Cu(C₃H₄N₂)₂(C₆H₅COO)₂]. The X-ray structure of the compound has been solved by direct method and Fourier synthesis, and refined by block-diagonal and full matrix least squares method to a final R of 0.033 for 1417 independent reflection of <em>I</em>>3σ(<em>I</em>)<em>. The crystals are monoclinic, C₂₀H₁₈N₄O₄Cu, MR=441.74, space group P2(1)/<em>n,</em> with cell parameters <em>a</em> = 8.699(4); <em>b</em> = 9.540(6); <em>c</em> = 12.399(5)Ǻ; ɑ = γ = 90°; β = 100.8 °; <em>V</em> = 1010.0Ǻ³; Dc = 1654 g.cm^-3; μ = 21.4 cm^-1 and Z = 4. Each copper ion is coordinated by two benzoate and two imidazole ligands. The structure of the title compound shows a clear centre of symmetry.