Structure of a thiolate-bridged polymeric copper(I) compound, catena-(2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)-mu-(thiophenolato)-copper(I).

[Cu(C6H5S)(C14H12N2)], Mr = 380.97, monoclinic, P2(1), a = 10.047 (1), b = 15.797 (2), c = 10.581 (1) A, beta = 90.78 (1) degrees, V = 1679.2 A3, Z = 4, Dm (CCl4/C5H12) = 1.50, D chi = 1.51 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.7107 A, mu = 14.2 cm-1, F(000) = 784, T = 293 (1) K, R = 0.026, wR = 0.026 for 2709 observed reflections. The title compound, [Cu(Me2-phen)(C6H5S)]n, exists as chains of [Cu(Me1phen)]+ units linked by thiophenolate S atoms. Large bridging angles at thiolate S atoms [Cu(1)--S--Cu(2)(av.) = 134 (1) degrees] preclude any Cu--Cu bonding [Cu ... Cu = 4.246 (1), 4.284 (1) A] along the chain. The CuI atoms exhibit highly distorted tetrahedral coordination, with the largest deviations from tetrahedral stereochemistry involving the N--Cu--N and S--Cu--S angles [N--Cu--N(av.) = 78.0(2), S--Cu--S(av.) = 126 (3) degrees].