Revealing the reduction process of Cu(ii) by sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide

The mechanistic investigation of copper-catalysed transformations has been an important and fundamental task. Herein, we report via XAS and EPR spectroscopy that the sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide could reduce Cu(ii) to a Cu(i) species serving as an electron donor. XAS spectroscopy demonstrates that the newly formed Cu(i) species is the Cu[N(TMS)(2)](2)Na ate complex, in which the nitrogen atoms coordinate with copper linearly.