Insertion reactions of organic anhydrides into the Cu–O bond of [CuOtBu]: syntheses and structures of functionalised copper (I) and copper (II) carboxylates

The insertion reaction of maleic anhydride into the Cu–O bond in [CuOtBu] produced the complexes [Cu2(CO2C2H2CO2tBu)4 · dme] (1), [Cu(CO2C2H2CO2tBu)2 · tmeda] (2) and [Cu2(CO2C2H2CO2tBu)2 · dppm]2 (3) (dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane; tmeda = N1,N1,N2,N2-tetramethylethane-1,2-diamine; dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane). This reaction represents a useful synthetic strategy for a range of functionalised Cu(I) and Cu(II) carboxylates.