The preparation and x-ray crystal structures of bis(4R-oxazolidine-4′-carboxylato)copper(II) (R = methyl,phenyl)

The base-catalyzed condensation reactions of formaldehyde with the copper(II) chelates of α-alanine and C-phenylglycine result in the formation of bis(4R-oxazolidine-4′-carboxylato)copper(II) where R = methyl and phenyl respectively. The 4-methyl complex, C₁₀H₂₀N₂O₈Cu, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 9.141(2), b = 7.335(3), c = 11.112(3) Å, β = 103.87(2)° and Z = 2. The structure has been refined to R = 0.026 and R_w = 0.031 based on 749 independent reflections collected, 651 used. The geometry about copper is essentially a (4 + 2)-elongated octahedral structure. The 4-phenyl derivative, C₂₀H₂₀N₂O₆Cu, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 11.939(4), b = 8.887(2), c = 8.611(3) Å, β = 95.61(3)° and Z = 2. Refinement of the structure converged to R = 0.062 and R_w = 0.071 based on 1003 reflections collected and 865 used. The structure of the 4-phenyl complex resembles that of the 4-methyl derivative and differs mainly from the latter in being anhydrous.