Copper perchlorate and tetrafluoridoborate compounds with the ligand 1,4,5-triazanaphthalene. Gradual transformation of mononuclear Cu(II) compounds via polynuclear mixed-valence Cu(II)/Cu(I) species to dinuclear Cu(I); syntheses, characterizations and X-ray structures.

When the ligand 1,4,5-triazanaphthalene (abbreviated as tan) is reacted with Cu(II) BF(4)(-) and ClO(4)(-) salts, a variety of mononuclear compounds has been found, all with the [Cu(tan)(4)] unit and varying amounts of weakly coordinating axial ligands and lattice solvents. Reproducible compounds formed include two purple compounds, analyzing as [Cu(tan)(4)](ClO(4))(2)(CH(3)OH)(2)(H(2)O) (1) and [Cu(tan)(4)](BF(4))(2)(CH(3)OH)(1.5)(H(2)O) (3), and two blue compounds, analyzing as [Cu(tan)(4)](ClO(4))(2)(H(2)O)(2) (2) and [Cu(tan)(4)](2)(BF(4))(2)(H(2)O)(2) (4). Upon standing at room temperature, red-coloured, mixed-valence dinuclear-based 3D coordination polymers are formed by conversion of the purple/blue products, of which [Cu(2)(tan)(4)](n)(BF(4))(3n) (5) and the isomorphic methanol-water adduct [Cu(tan)(4)](n)(BF(4))(3n)(CH(3)OH)(n)(H(2)O)(5n) (5A) are presented in this paper. In addition a fully reduced dinuclear Cu(I) compound of formula [Cu(2)(tan)(3)(ClO(4))(2)] (7) has been observed, and structurally characterized, as a rare three-blade propeller structure, with a Cu-Cu distance of 2.504 Å.