Bathocuproine is a derivative of
1,10-phenanthroline with two
methyl group
In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula . In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in ma ...
s and two
phenyl groups in the 2,9 and 4,7 positions, respectively. Like 1,10-phenanthroline, bathocuproine is a
bidentate chelating
Chelation is a type of bonding of ions and molecules to metal ions. It involves the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between a polydentate (multiple bonded) ligand and a single central metal atom. These ligands are ...
ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's elec ...
. The two methyl groups flank the nitrogen centers, such that bathocuproine is a
bulky ligand. It is a pale yellow solid that is soluble in polar organic solvents.
[{{cite encyclopedia, author=Guosheng Liu, Yichen, Wu, year=2012, title = Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, doi=10.1002/047084289X.rn01392, encyclopedia=eEROS, chapter=Bathocuproine, isbn=978-0471936237]
References
Chelating agents
Phenanthrolines