Acta Crystallographica Section B

Structural Science

Volume 56, Part 6 (December 2000)

research papers

Acta Cryst. (2000). B56, 993-997 [ doi:10.1107/S0108768100008028 ]

X-ray diffraction study of copper(I) thiourea complexes formed in sulfate-containing acid solutions

O. E. Piro, R. C. V. Piatti, A. E. Bolzán, R. C. Salvarezza and A. J. Arvia

Abstract: The formation of three different copper(I) thiourea complexes in sulfate-containing acid solutions was observed. The ratio between Cu^I and thiourea (tu) in these complexes depends on the amount of thiourea and copper sulfate in the solution. The crystal and molecular structure of a new complex, [Cu(tu)](SO) $\cdot$ HO, was determined, and the formation and structures of [Cu(tu)](SO) $\cdot$ 3HO and [Cu(tu)](SO) $_2\cdot$ HO were confirmed. The compound [Cu(tu)](SO) $\cdot$ HO crystallizes in the $P\overline 1$ space group, with a = 11.079 (2), b = 11.262 (1), c = 12.195 (2) Å, $\alpha$ = 64.84 (1), $\beta$ = 76.12 (1), $\gamma$ = 66.06 (1)°, and Z = 2. The Cu-thiourea complex is arranged as a Cu^I tetranuclear ion, [Cu(tu) $_{12}$ ] $^{4+}$ , sited on a crystallographic inversion center. All copper ions are in a tetrahedral coordination with thiourea ligands and located at alternate sites on an eight-membered, crown-like ring.

Keywords: Copper(I) thourea; Sulfates; Acid solutions.