Copper hypophosphite, decomposition

According to H. Rose, the blue soln. of cupric hydroxide in cold hypophosphorous acid may remain unaltered for a long time and if very dil., it may even be heated without decomposition. If the soln. be evaporated in vacuo at a low temp., the copper is completely reduced as soon as the liquid is highly concentrated. C. A. Wurtz found that the soln. obtained by double decomposition of barium hypophosphite and copper sulphate at about 60° precipitates copper hydride— vide supra. Once blue crystals of copper hypophosphite, Cu(H2P02)2, were obtained they decomposed abruptly at 65°. According to R. Engel, this salt... 

In vacuum above 323 K the decomposition of copper(II) hypophosphite can be expressed [85] ... 

Stepwise cation reduction has been recognised as a common mechanistic feature in the decompositions of a variety of copper(II) salts. This was reported by Lomovsky et al. [74] for copper(II) hypophosphite (Cu(H2P02)2 Citii2P02 - Cu). Later work on the thermal reactions of the copper(II) salts of a range of organic acids provided evidence that decompositions proceeded with - Cu - Cu°. The mechanisms of these reactions, containing this common constituent, have been reviewed [75]. 

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