Synthesis and Reactivity of New Copper(I) Hydride Dimers

The expanded-ring N-heterocyclic carbenes 6Dipp and 7Dipp (6Dipp = 1,3-bis­(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene and 7Dipp = 1,3-bis­(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-diazepin-2-ylidene) support isolable neutral copper hydride dimers. [(6Dipp)­CuH]2 reacts with 1-hexene to give (6Dipp)­copper­(I) hexyl by 1,2-insertion and with benzyl isonitrile to afford an η1-formimidoyl by 1,1-insertion.