PREPARATION OF BIS(IMIDAZOLE)COPPER(II) DIBENZOATE BY A NEW SYNTHETICMETHOD - OXIDATIVE ADDITION OF DIBENZOYL PEROXIDE ON METALLIC COPPER

Dibenzoyl peroxide undergoes oxidative addition on metallic copper pow der with imidazole (C3H4N2) in a mixed solvent (ethanol, methanol and tetrahydrofuran) and affords the complex [Cu(C3H4N2)2(C6H5COO)2]. The X-ray structure of the compound has been solved by direct method and F ourier synthesis, and refined by block-diagonal and full matrix least- squares method to a final R of 0.033 for 1417 independent reflection o f I>3sigma(I). The crystals are monoclinic, C20H18N4O4Cu, MR = 441.74, space group P2(1)/n, with cell parameters a = 8.699(4); b = 9.540(6); c = 12.399(5) angstrom; alpha = gamma = 90-degrees; beta = 100.8-degr ees; V = 1010.0 angstrom3; Dc = 1654 g.cm-3; mu = 21.4 cm-1 and Z = 4. Each copper ion is coordinated by two benzoate and two imidazole liga nds. The structure of the title compound shows a clear centre of symme try.