Synthesis and Thermal Chemistry of Copper (I) Guanidinates

Copper (I) guanidinate dimers were generated by a salt metathesis route and structurally characterized. The
guanidinates differed from the known amidinate dimers because of a large torsion of the dimer ring. This had a
direct effect on their thermal chemistry. The thermal reactivity was investigated by several methods, including a
novel temperature-resolved, gas-phase method that was monitored by mass spectrometry. The copper guanidinates
underwent carbodiimide deinsertion to produce copper metal at temperatures between 225 −and 250 °C in the gas
phase and at 125 °C in solution. The amidinate investigated also showed copper deposition at 190 °C in the gas
phase, and 135 °C in solution, but without carbodiimide deinsertion. The guanidinate compounds deposited crystalline
copper at 225 °C in a simple chemical vapor deposition experiment.