The redox equilibrium between dinuclear Cu(II) μ-thiolate and Cu(I) disulfide structures has been analyzed experimentally and via DFT calculations. Two new ligands, L(2)SSL(2) and L(4)SSL(4), and their Cu(II) μ-thiolate and Cu(I) disulfide complexes were synthesized. For L(2)SSL(2), these two redox-isomeric copper species are shown to be in equilibrium, which depends on both temperature and solvent. For L(4)SSL(4) the μ-thiolate species forms as the kinetic product and further evolves into the disulfide complex under thermodynamic control, which creates the unprecedented possibility to compare both species under the same reaction conditions. The energies of the μ-thiolate and disulfide complexes for two series of related ligands have been calculated with DFT; the results rationalize the experimentally observed structures, and emphasize the important role that steric requirements play in the formation of the Cu(II) thiolate structure.

The proton-induced electron-transfer reaction of a Cu(II) μ-thiolate complex to a Cu(I) -containing species has been investigated, both experimentally and computationally. The Cu(II) μ-thiolate complex [Cu(II) 2 (L(Me) S)2 ](2+) is isolated with the new pyridyl-containing ligand L(Me) SSL(Me) , which can form both Cu(II) thiolate and Cu(I) disulfide complexes, depending on the solvent. Both the Cu(II) and the Cu(I) complexes show reactivity upon addition of protons. The multivalent tetranuclear complex [Cu(I) 2 Cu(II) 2 (LS)2 (CH3 CN)6 ](4+) crystallizes after addition of two equivalents of strong acid to a solution containing the μ-thiolate complex [Cu(II) 2 (LS)2 ](2+) and is further analyzed in solution. This study shows that, upon addition of protons to the Cu(II) thiolate compound, the ligand dissociates from the copper centers, in contrast to an earlier report describing redox isomerization to a Cu(I) disulfide species that is protonated at the pyridyl moieties. Computational studies of the protonated Cu(II) μ-thiolate and Cu(I) disulfide species with LSSL show that already upon addition of two equivalents of protons, ligand dissociation forming [Cu(I) (CH3 CN)4 ](+) and protonated ligand is energetically favored over conversion to a protonated Cu(I) disulfide complex.

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Cu(I)(Py2NS) (1) is formed by addition of Cu(I) to a solution of the pyridyl-thiol ligand N-(2-mercaptopropyl)-N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (Py2NSH). Oxidation of complex 1 by air leads to the formation of Cu(II) sulfinate and Cu(II) sulfonate complexes, providing a model for the oxidative degeneration of copper-sulfur enzymes. Crystal structures were obtained for two Cu(II) sulfinate complexes, [Cu(II)2(Py2NSO2)2](BF4)2·2(CH3)2CO (4a) and [Cu(II)2(Py2NSO2)2(OTf)2] (4b), which were further characterized by UV-vis and EPR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Furthermore, two Cu(II) sulfonate complexes with the proposed formulas Cu(II)2(Py2NSO3)2(BF4)2 (5a) and Cu(II)2(Py2NSO3)2(OTf)2 (5b) have been isolated and characterized. Monitoring the oxidation of 1 by UV-vis indicates that the oxidation proceeds via a dinuclear Cu(II) μ-thiolate complex (3); as an intermediate an octanuclear mixed-valent Cu(I)4Cu(II)4 cluster with formula [Cu(I)4Cu(II)4(Py2NS)4(μ-OH)2(CH3CN)6](ClO4)6·2CH3CN (2) was isolated and characterized by X-ray single crystal structure determination.

A large library of Cu II complexes with mononucleating and dinucleating ligands was synthesized to investigate their potential as catalysts for the catalytic oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC). X-ray structure determination for a number of these complexes revealed relatively large Cu⋯Cu distances and the formation of polymeric species. Comparison of the 3,5-DTBC oxidation rates showed that ligands that stabilize the biomimetic dinuclear Cu II µ-thiolate complex also result in copper compounds that are much more active in the oxidation of 3,5-DTBC. This oxidation activity is however inhibited by the presence of chloride ions. The highest k cat that was observed was 6900 h, which is one of the highest turnover frequencies reported so far for catechol oxidation in CH 3 CN.