Structure, Dynamics, and Photophysics in the Copper(I) Iodide-Tetrahydrothiophene System

Combination of CuI and tetrahydrothiophene (THT) in MeCN or neat THT produces various phases, depending upon experimental conditions. Green luminescent product (CuI)4(THT)2 (1) consists of Cu4I4 cubane units knit into a 3-D network by μ2-THT ligands. Dull yellow luminescent (CuI)10(THT)7(MeCN) (2) contains {[Cu4I4(THT)](μ2-THT)2(Cu2I2)(μ2-THT)2[Cu4I4(NCMe)]} “rungs” linked into 1-D ladders by pairs of μ2-THT ligands. Two molecular (CuI)4(THT)4 phases were found: orange luminescent 3a and yellow luminescent 3b. Triclinic 3b is the more stable phase at 25 °C, but it undergoes endothermic transformation to monoclinic 3a at 38 °C. Compound 3a transforms to a triclinic phase (3a′) that retains orange emission at −60 °C. Nonemissive (CuI)3(THT)3·MeCN (4) is a 2-D sheet structure in which Cu3(THT)3 rings are linked in trigonal directions by rhomboid Cu2I2 dimer units. The previously reported (CuI)2(THT)4 (5) is a molecular dimer. Temperature and mixing ratio domains for the formation of the CuI–THT phases from M...