Self-assembled 2D supramolecular networks of copper(I) carborane complexes through C-H center dot center dot center dot H-B dihydrogen bonding interactions

Three dinuclear copper(I) complexes with the formula [Cu2(mu-X)(2)(1,2-((PPr2)-Pr-i)(2)-1,2-C2B10H10)(2)] (X = Cl (1), Br (2), I (3)) containing the closo carborane diphosphine ligand 1,2-((PPr2)-Pr-i)(2)-1,2-C2B10H10 have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and X-ray structure determination. The X-ray structure analyses revealed that the three complexes were isostructural and crystallized in the monoclinic system and space group C2/m. The carborane cage ligand was coordinated bidentately to the Cu(I) center through its two phosphorus atoms, and the coordination geometry around each copper atom was distorted tetrahedral. Two halogen atoms bridged the metal centers forming a dimer structure [Cu-2(mu-X)(2)(1,2-((PPr2)-Pr-i)(2)-1,2-C2B10H10)(2)], which were linked into 2D supramolecular networks through novel C-H center dot center dot center dot H-B dihydrogen bonding interactions.