Crystal and solution structures of N,N-dimethylthioformamide-solvated copper(I), silver(I), and gold(I) ions studied by X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption, and vibrational spectroscopy.

Crystal structures of the solvated copper(I) and silver(I) perchlorate salts crystallizing from N,N-dimethylthioformamide solution have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 295 K. Tetrakis(N,N-dimethylthioformamide)copper(I) perchlorate, [Cu(SCHN(CH(3))(2))(4)]ClO(4), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2/n (No. 13) with a = 8.428(2), b = 9.605(2), and c = 15.096(3) A, beta = 104.35(2) degrees, and Z = 2. The copper(I) ion in a site of C(2) symmetry coordinates four N,N-dimethylthioformamide ligands in a slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination with Cu-S bond distances of 2.3249(8) and 2.3494(8) A. The triclinic (P1, No. 2) tris(N,N-dimethylthioformamide)silver(I) perchlorate, Ag(SCHN(CH(3))(2))(3)ClO(4), with a = 7.4149(5), b = 7.7953(5), and c = 17.1482(1) A, alpha = 98.341(5), beta = 93.910(5), and gamma = 107.084(5) degrees, and Z = 2, contains centrosymmetric Ag(2)(SCHN(CH(3))(2))(6)(2+) dimers in which two almost planar AgS(3) units are held together by an asymmetric double sulfur bridge with one short and one long Ag-S bond, 2.529(1) and 2.930(1) A, respectively. The Ag-S bond distances to the two terminal N,N-dimethylthioformamide ligands are 2.469(1) and 2.543(1) A. The solvated copper(I) and silver(I) ions in solution were found by means of large-angle X-ray scattering (LAXS) to coordinate four N,N-dimethylthioformamide molecules with the mean Cu-S and Ag-S bond distances 2.36(1) and 2.58(1) A, respectively, probably with distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry, while an EXAFS study gave the Cu-S bond distance 2.34(1) A. EXAFS studies showed a linear S-Au-S entity with an Au-S bond distance of 2.290(5) A in the structure of the solid bis(N,N-dimethylthioformamide)gold(I) tetrafluoroborate, Au(SCHN(CH(3))(2))(2)BF(4). The structure in solution is similar with a mean Au-S bond distance of 2.283(4) A. Raman and infrared vibrational spectra of the solvated copper(I), silver(I), and gold(I) ions in the solid state and N,N-dimethylthioformamide solution have been recorded and assigned.