Network complexes of copper(I) halides

In connection with the "nanotechnology" trend, there is growing interest in metal-organic materials chemistry (1, 2). It is increasingly desirable for college chemistry majors to be exposed to a variety of macromolecular systems. Undergraduate experiments in organic (3) and inorganic (4) polymers and inorganic materials (5) have been reported. However, metal-organic network experiments are lacking. This simple and inexpensive exercise introduces undergraduates to self-assembled metal-organic coordination networks. It also provides applications of many core chemical concepts: coordination chemistry, bridging versus chelating ligand behavior, crystal field theory, equilibrium, kinetic versus thermodynamic products, charge transfer, and spectroscopy. At the College of William & Mary, the experiment is carried out by second-semester sophomores intending to major in chemistry. These students have taken one semester of general and two of organic chemistry. Nevertheless, the experiment is remarkably flexible and can be incorporated from the freshman through the senior level with slight variations in emphasis.