Quantum chemistry of organocuprates as intermediates of catalytic and photochemical reactions

Organocuprates (II) and (III) are intermediates of catalytic and photochemical reactions; nevertheless, in many cases their structure and reaction ability are unclear. Quantum-chemical calculations performed within the framework of density functional theory allowed to confirm some experimental evidences of existence of such organometallic compounds. In this article, composition and geometry of organocopper transients were estimated via comparing of experimental and calculated energies of electronic transitions and g-tensors. The formation of sigma-bond CuC(sp(3)) in adducts of Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes with alkyl-type radicals was corroborated by Natural Bonding Orbital analysis. The nuclearity of Cu(II) chloride complexes influences the mechanism of their interaction with alkyl radicals. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.