Synthesis and structural characterisation of some mononuclear 1:1:1 complexes of coinage metal(I) compounds with tertiary phosphines (arsines) and 1,2-diamines, [MX(EPh₃)(N,N'-1,2-diamine)]

Crystallization of adducts of simple copper(I) and silver(I) salts (MX) with triphenylphosphine from 'N,N,N′,N'-tetramethylethylenediamine', 'tmeda', has yielded adducts of 1:1:1 MX:PPh₃:tmeda stoichiometry, all of which have been characterized by room temperature single crystal X-ray structure determinations. In all adducts, the complex is mononuclear [M(PPh₃)(N,N′-tmeda)X] with four-coordinate N₂PMX metal atom environments (M = Cu, X = Cl, Br, I; M = Ag, X = Cl or NO₃). The tricyclohexylphosphine species [Ag(Pcy₃)(N,N′-tmeda)(ONO₂)], also in a N₂PAgX metal environment, has been defined. A number of similar silver(I) adducts are obtained by using 1,2-diaminopropane, 'pn' as solvent. The chloride, bromide and iodide complexes are isomorphous, the complexes being mononuclear, [Ag(PPh₃)(pn)X], with four-coordinate N₂PAgX environments, the pn ligand chelating. An isomorphous arsenic analogue of the bromide has also been isolated. All complexes have been characterized by IR and NMR (¹H and ³¹P) spectroscopy.