An ionic CuNa-phenylsilsesquioxane/bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium complex: synthesis, unique structure, and catalytic activity.

The synthesis of a high nuclear (CuNa) complex 1 the self-assembly of copper(II) phenylsilsesquioxane induced by complexation with bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium chloride (PPNCl) was successfully achieved. This complex, which includes two bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium PPN cations, represents the first example of a metallasilsesquioxane/phosphazene compound. The CuNa-silsesquioxane cage demonstrates a nontrivial combination of two pairs of Si-cyclic/Si-acyclic silsesquioxane ligands and a fusion of two SiCuNa fragments, combined the central ninth copper ion.