Molecular structure of gaseous copper(I) acetate as determined by electron diffraction

Abstract

The molecular structure of gaseous copper(I) acetate has been determined by electron diffraction. The molecule is dimeric and its skeleton is planar. The molecular parameters and their uncertainties are r_g(Cu–Cu′)= 2.491 ± 0.003 Å, r_g(Cu–O)= 1.868 ± 0.002 Å, r_g(C–O)= 1.270 ± 0.002 Å, r_g(C–C)= 1.506 ± 0.003 Å and the angle OCuO′= 172.5 ± 0.1°. The Cu–Cu separation of 2:491 Å in gaseous copper(I) acetate is the shortest for a copper acetate compound reported so far.