LEWIS BASE ADDUCTS OF BARIUM COPPER TERT-BUTOXIDES - SYNTHESIS AND THERMOLYSIS OF [BACU2((OBU)-BU-T)(4)](N) AND [L2BA2CU4((OBU)-BU-T)(S)] (L=ME3NO AND ET3PO) - X-RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF [(ME3NO)(2)BA2CU4((OBU)-BU-T)(8)]/

Reaction of copper(I) mesityl with [Ba((OBu)-Bu-t)(2)(t-BuOH)(2)](4) y ields insoluble [BaCu2((OBu)-Bu-t)(4)](n), which dissolves by adduct f ormation (L = Me3NO or Et3PO) to form soluble L2Ba2Cu4-((OBu)-Bu-t)(8) . For L = Me3NO, this molecule is shown by X-ray diffraction to have a structure based on a trans-Ba2Cu4 octahedron, with all Ba/Cu edges br idged by mu(2)-(OBu)-Bu-t units; one L binds to each Ba. Bulk thermoly sis, TGA, and product analysis have revealed that (OBu)-Bu-t units und ergo not only O/C cleavage but also C/C cleavage, the latter to form c arbonate and nonvolatile hydrocarbon products, in addition to BaO and CuO. The intended oxidant Me-3-NO shows no great tendency to oxidize C u(I).