Synthesis, crystal and molecular structure of tetraphenylarsonium bis(maleonitriledithiolato)tellurate(II), [AsPh4]2[Te(mnt)2], and single-crystal electron spin resonance spectra of the system [AsPh4]2[Cu/Te(mnt)2]

Abstract

The crystal and molecular structure of bis(tetraphenylarsonium) bis(maleonitriledithiolato)tellurate(II), a new tellurium(II) compound containing dithiolene ligands, and the single-crystal e.s.r. spectra of the system [AsPh₄]₂[⁶³Cu/Te(mnt)₂] are reported. [AsPh₄]₂[Te(mnt)₂] crystallises in the triclinic space group P, with a= 10.211 (2), b= 14.460(2)Å, c = 18.583(3)Å, α = 105.95(2), β = 95.60(2), γ = 77.67(2)°, and Z = 2; R= 0.047 for 7749 observed reflections. The tellurium atoms have trapezoid planar co-ordination with Te–S bond distances of 2.501(1), 2.482(2), 2.971(2), and 3.104(2) Å. In the single-crystal e.s.r. spectra the signals of two Cu sites with somewhat different spin-Hamiltonian parameter sets are observed. The and the ⁶³Cu hyperfine tensors are rhombic symmetric. The planar [Cu(mnt)₂]^2– anions are considerably distorted but do not adopt the structure of the tellurium host.