title: Bi- and trinuclear copper(I) complexes of 1,2,3-triazole-tethered NHC ligands: synthesis, structure, and catalytic properties.
abstract: A series of copper complexes (3-6) stabilized by 1,2,3-triazole-tethered N-heterocyclic carbene ligands have been prepared via simple reaction of imidazolium salts with copper powder in good yields. The structures of bi- and trinuclear copper complexes were fully characterized by NMR, elemental analysis (EA), and X-ray crystallography. In particular, [Cu2(L2)2](PF6)2 (3) and [Cu2(L3)2](PF6)2 (4) were dinuclear copper complexes. Complexes [Cu3(L4)2](PF6)3 (5) and [Cu3(L5)2](PF6)3 (6) consist of a triangular Cu3 core. These structures vary depending on the imidazolium backbone and N substituents. The copper-NHC complexes tested are highly active for the Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction in an air atmosphere at room temperature in a CH3CN solution. Complex 4 is the most efficient catalyst among these polynuclear complexes in an air atmosphere at room temperature.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shaojin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiehao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China; College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weilin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Biological, Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunxin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
keywords: 1,2,3-triazole; : N-heterocylic carbene; CuAAC reaction; copper