σ-SiH complexes of copper: Experimental evidence and computational analysis
Résumé
Copper and gold complexes 2-4 of the diphosphine-hydrosilane [Ph 2P(o-C6H4)]2MeSiH ligand 1 have been prepared, and their bonding situation has been analyzed experimentally (NMR, IR, X-ray diffraction) and computationally (geometry optimizations, NBO analyses). The σ-SiH bond remains pendant in the gold complex 4 but engages into a weak side-on coordination to copper. This bonding interaction slightly strengthens when the metal becomes more electron deficient, consistent with essentially pure σ-SiH-to-copper donation. Complexes 2 and 3 provide very rare examples of σ-bond coordination to a coinage metal. © 2013 American Chemical Society.