Preventing thermolysis: precursor design for volatile copper compounds

A copper(I) iminopyrrolidinate was synthesized and evaluated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), solution based (1)H NMR studies and surface chemistry to determine its thermal stability and decomposition mechanism. Copper(I) tert-butyl-imino-2,2-dimethylpyrrolidinate (1) demonstrated superior thermal stability and showed negligible decomposition in TGA experiments up to 300 °C as well as no decomposition in solutions at 165 °C over 3 weeks.