[Cu(CN)en2]I – Copper Amine Propellers

Light blue [Cu(CN)en 2 ]I was prepared by reaction of copper iodide with ethylenediamine (en) and potassium cyanide in acetonitrile in air. It crystallizes in the space group C2 (No. 5) with a = 11.082(6), b = 7.155(2), c = 9.017(3) A, β = 127.00(3)°, and Z = 2. The structure was refined from 1069 unique reflections and 90 parameters. The refinement converged to R1 = 0.018 and wR2 = 0.041 (all reflections). Copper has a trigonal bi-pyramidal environment formed by two en molecules and one CN - anion. The iodine anion shows no direct contact to the Cu 2+ center. The propeller shaped complexes [Cu(CN)en 2 ] + are all oriented parallel in the crystal structure. [Cu(CN)en 2 ] + cations and I - anions form a zincblende related arrangement.