Crystal structure of {(but-3-en-1-yl)bis-[(pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]amine-κ(3) N,N',N''}di-chlorido-copper(II) diethyl ether hemisolvate.

The five-coordinate Cu(II) atom in the title complex [CuCl2(C16H19N3)]·0.5C4H10O, adopts a near-ideal square-pyramidal geometry (τ-5 = 0.01). The apical Cu-Cl distance is 0.2626 (6) Å longer than the basal Cu-Cl distance. Weak C-H⋯Cl interactions between pyridine rings and the Cl atoms of adjacent complex molecules are present. The solvent molecule, located on a twofold rotation axis, is situated in the voids of this arrangement. Copper atoms coordinated by tridentate nitro-gen-containing ligands have been found to be excellent promoters of Atom Transfer Radical Addition (ATRA) reactions.