Activation Of O-2 By A Binuclear Copper(I) Compound - Hydroxylation Of A New Xylyl-Binucleating Ligand To Produce A Phenoxy-Bridged Binuclear Copper(Ii) Complex - X-Ray Crystal-Structure Of (Cu2(Oc6h3[Ch2n(Ch2ch2py)2]2-2,6)(Ome))(Py=2-Pyridyl)

Reaction of O2 with a binuclear CuI species derived from a new meta-xylyl-binucleating ligand, NNN′N′-tetrakis[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]-α,α′-diamino-m-xylene [m-xyl(py)], has resulted in hydroxylation of the ligand to produce the binuclear CuII complex (1); the X-ray crystal structure of the dication of (1) shows two pentaco-ordinate CuII ions bridged by the phenoxy-group of the ligand and a methoxy-group.