Synthesis and catalytic activity of an electron-deficient copper–ethylene triazapentadienyl complex

The copper(i) ethylene complex [N{(C(3)F(7))C(Dipp)N}(2)]Cu(C(2)H(4)) (Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) has been synthesized by treating [N{(C(3)F(7))C(Dipp)N}(2)]Cu(NCCH(3)) with ethylene at room temperature. [N{(C(3)F(7))C(Dipp)N}(2)]Cu(C(2)H(4)) is an air stable, yellow solid. X-Ray crystallographic data of [N{(C(3)F(7))C(Dipp)N}(2)]Cu(C(2)H(4)) show that the 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl ligand coordinates to copper in kappa(2)-fashion. The copper atom adopts a trigonal-planar geometry. [N{(C(3)F(7))C(Dipp)N}(2)]Cu(C(2)H(4)) and [N{(C(3)F(7))C(Dipp)N}(2)]Cu(NCCH(3)) effectively catalyze carbene and nitrene transfer to a variety of substrates in high efficiencies.