Synthesis of Solvatochromic Copper(II) Complex and Determination of the Donor Numbers of Polar Solvents

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 24 (2019) pp 27-29

Synthesis of Solvatochromic Copper(II) Complex and Determination of the Donor Numbers of Polar Solvents

Ryo Horikoshi

Department of Environmental Technology, Faculty of Design Technology, Osaka Sangyo University, Nakagaito, Daito, Osaka 574-8530, Japan, ryo.horikoshi@est.osaka-sandai.ac.jp
Received October 25, 2018. Accepted December 26, 2019.

Published: 18 January 2019

Abstract. This article describes a simple undergraduate laboratory experiment in which students prepared and analyzed the solvatochromic mixed ligand copper(II) complex of acetylacetonate with 1,10-phenanthroline and tetraphenylborate. The complex was synthesized using low-odor acetylacetonate and odorless 1,10-phenanthroline ligands with equipment typically available in a standard general chemistry laboratory. Depending on the polar organic solvents used, the solutions of the complex exhibited a variety of colors ranging from green via blue to violet. The solutions’ d–d absorption wavelengths correlated well with the donor numbers of the solvents, thus facilitating students’ estimation of the unknown donor numbers of the solvents. Completing this experiment enhanced the students’ understanding of the basic calculations in chemistry.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; general chemistry; coordination compounds; mixed ligand copper(II) complexes; UV–Visible spectroscopy

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: ryo.horikoshi@est.osaka-sandai.ac.jp )

Article in PDF format (231 KB) HTML format

Supporting Materials:

One PDF is available which contains the student handout and instructors notes for the experiment. (465 KB)