Patent ID: 7241912

Claim:
A copper precursor compound of the formula: wherein: R 1 and R 2 may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 –C 6 alkyl, C 3 –C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, and hydrocarbyl derivatives of silyl groups; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 –C 6 alkyl, C 3 –C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, hydrocarbyl derivatives of silyl groups and NR 4 R 5 , where R 4 and R 5 may be the same as or different from one another and is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 –C 6 alkyl, C 3 –C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, and hydrocarbyl derivatives of silyl groups; with the provisos that: R 1 =R 2 ≠butylphenyl when R 3 =H; R 1 ≠p-tolyl when R 2 =alkyl or cyclohexyl, and R 3 =H; when R 1 and R 2 are isopropyl groups or sec-butyl groups, R 3 is not a methyl group, when R 1 and R 2 are p-tolyl groups or hydrogen, R 3 is not hydrogen, methyl or phenyl, when R 1 and R 2 are phenyl groups, R 3 is not hydrogen, methyl or phenyl, when R 1 and R 2 are trimethylsilyl groups, R 3 is not phenyl, and when R 1 and R 2 are t-butyl groups or isopropyl groups, R 3 is not hydrogen, wherein said copper precursor compound is synthesized by a chemical synthesis including reactions (1) and (2): R 1 —N═C═N—R 2 +R 3 Li→(R 1 —N═C(R 3 )—N—R 2 ) − Li + (1)