Remarkably volatile copper(II) complexes of N,N'-unsymmetrically substituted 1,3-diketimines as precursors for Cu metal deposition via CVD or ALD.

To enhance the volatility of the copper precursor in the copper deposition process, it was envisioned that N,N'-unsymmetrically substituted 1,3-diketimines should be more volatile than their symmetrically substituted counterparts. A variety of Cu(II) (N,N'-unsymmetrically substituted 1,3-diketiminate) complexes have been synthesized and have proven to be much more volatile than their symmetrical counterparts. This makes the new materials particularly attractive to the ALD and CVD processes. Among the new compounds, 8-a and 8-b are sublimable even at room temperature.