Copper(III) Trifluoromethyl Tris(pyrazolyl)borates

Abstract

The first scorpionate complexes of high-valent copper(III) TpCu(CF3)2 and Tp*Cu(CF3)2 were synthesized by ligand exchange reaction in acetylacetonate complex (acac)Cu(CF3)2 and fully characterized. The structure, effective oxidation state of copper, natural charge distribution and photochemical properties of these compounds were studied by DFT calculations. Presence of copper in +3 oxidation state was supported by XPS spectroscopy. TpCu(CF3)2 is a bench-stable solid and exhibits high reactivity in trifluoromethylation of uracil derivatives under photochemical conditions.