Three ethylene adducts to CuAlCl(4) have been characterized by single crystal and/or powder X-ray diffraction, (13)C, (27)Al and (63)Cu MAS NMR and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy. (C(2)H(4))(2)CuAlCl(4), a = 7.1274(5) b = 12.509(1) c = 11.997(3) beta = 91.19 degrees, Pc, Z = 4; alpha-(C(2)H(4))CuAlCl(4), a =7.041(3) b = 10.754(8) c =11.742(9) beta = 102.48(6), P2(1), Z = 4 and beta-(C(2)H(4))CuAlCl(4), a = 7.306(2), b = 16.133(3), c = 7.094(1), Pna2(1), Z = 4. Up to 2 equiv of ethylene ( approximately 200 cm(3)/g relative to stp) are sorbed at room temperatures and pressures as low as 300 Torr. The ethylene ligands are bound to copper (I) primarily through a sigma-interaction, because the AlCl(4)(-) groups also bound to copper prevent any significant pi-back-bonding. The olefin binding is reversible and has been characterized by gravimetric and volumetric adsorption analysis and by time and pressure resolved synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. Comparison of the parent crystal structure to those of the adduct phases provide an atomistic picture of the sorptive reconstruction reactions. These are proposed to proceed by a classic substitution mechanism that is directed by the van der Waals channels of the parent crystalline lattice.

The beta and alpha phases of CuAlCl(4) have been characterized by solid-state (27)Al and (63)Cu magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance. The very short spin--lattice relaxation times of the copper spins, and the sensitivity of the I = 3/2 (63)Cu nucleus to the small differences in the local structure of Cu in the two phases, allowed (63)Cu spectra to be acquired in very short time periods (1 min), in which the beta and alpha phases were clearly resolved. This time resolution was exploited to follow the phase transition from the pseudohexagonal close-packed beta-CuAlCl(4) into the pseudocubic close-packed alpha-CuAlCl(4), which occurs above 100 degrees C. In situ time-resolved (63)Cu MAS NMR and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments were used to measure the kinetics of this phase transition as a function of temperature. The transformation was shown to be a first-order phase transition involving no intermediate phases with an activation energy of 138 kJ/mol. The kinetic data obey a first-order Avrami--Erofe'ev rate law. A one-dimensional growth mechanism is proposed that involves a combination of Cu(+) ion self-diffusion and a translational reorganization of the close-packed anion layers imposed by the periodic rotations of [AlCl(4)](-) tetrahedra. This beta to alpha phase transformation can be induced at ambient temperatures by low partial pressures of ethylene.

Rapid quenching of a melt of CuCl and AlCl(3) results in the formation of the metastable framework structure, beta-CuAlCl(4). The structure, determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography (space group Pna2(1), a = 12.8388(5) Å, b = 7.6455(3) Å, and c = 6.1264(3) Å, Z = 2), can be derived from a distorted hexagonal closest packed anion sublattice. Annealing at temperatures above 100 degrees C results in a phase transition to the more thermodynamically stable alpha-CuAlCl(4). The solid solution CuAlCl(4)(-)(x)()Br(x)() is described for both alpha and beta phases. The structures of alpha-CuAlCl(4) and alpha-CuAlBr(4), determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (space group P&fourmacr;2c, a = b 5.4409(1) Å and c = 10.1126(3) Å, V = 299.37(1) Å(3), Z = 2, and a = b = 5.7321(2) Å and c = 10.6046(8) Å, Z = 2, respectively), are derived from a distorted cubic closest packed anion sublattice. The mechanism for this phase transition is described in relation to that previously described for cristobalite-type structures. The structures of both alpha- and beta-CuAlCl(4) reveal large van der Waals channels, which are proposed to be important for the reversible adsorption of carbon monoxide and ethylene by these materials.