Metal complexes with bis(2-pyridyl)diselenoethers: structural chemistry and catalysis

Bis(2-pyridyl)diselenoethers with the general formula (2-PySe)(2)(CH2)(n) [n = 1, 3 and 4] react with CuI, AgNO3, CuCl2 center dot 2H(2)O and CoCl2 center dot 6H(2)O resulting in the formation of products with molecular or multi-dimensional structures depending on the stoichiometry of the reactants and the conditions applied. The versatility of this class of selenium-containing ligands is demonstrated with the synthesis and structural characterization of six new complexes of the composition [CuCl2{(2-PySe)(2)CH2}](n) (1), [Cu4I4{(2-PySe)(2)CH2}(2)] (2), [CuCl2{(2-PySe)(2)(CH2)(3)}(2)] (3), [CoCl2{(2-PySe)(2)(CH2)(3)}](n) (4), [Ag{(2-PySe)(2)-(CH2)}(3)](n)(NO3)(n) (5) and [CuCl2{(2-PySe)(2)(CH2)(4)}](n) (6), respectively. The Cu(I) complex (2) was tested as catalyst in cross-coupling reactions.