The Crystal Structures of a Lower Order and a “Higher Order” Cyanocuprate: [tBuCu(CN)Li(OEt2)2]∞ and [tBuCutBu{Li(thf)(pmdeta)}2CN]

Different types of bonding are present in cyanocuprates 1 and 2, whose crystal structures could be determined (the drawings below show the important structural characteristics). Accordingly, 1 is a lower order cyanocuprate of the type RCu(CN)Li, whereas 2, which is of the type R2Cu(CN)Li2, does not exist as a “higher order” cyanocuprate with Cu–CN bonds, but rather as a cyano-Gilman cuprate.