Clicking the Arsenic-Carbon Triple Bond: An Entry into a New Class of Arsenic Heterocycles

An Inorganic Click Reaction for the Synthesis of Interlocked Molecules

We describe the use of the cyaphide-azide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction for the synthesis of a new class of inorganic rotaxanes containing gold(I) triazaphosphole stoppers. Electron-deficient bis-azides, which thread perethylated pillar[5]arene in aromatic solvents, readily react with two equivalents of Au(IDipp)(CP) (IDipp=1,3-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene) to afford interlocked molecules via an inorganic click reaction. These transformations proceed in good yields (ca. 65 %) and in the absence of a catalyst. The resulting organometallic rotaxanes are air- and moisture-stable and can be purified by column chromatography under aerobic conditions. The targeted rotaxanes were characterized by multi-element nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass-spectrometry, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Reactions of main group compounds with azides forming organic nitrogen-containing species

Since the seminal discovery of phenyl azide by Grieß in 1864, a variety of organic azides (R-N3) have been developed and extensively studied. The amenability of azides to a number of reactions has expanded their utility as building blocks not only in organic synthesis but also in bioorthogonal chemistry and materials science. Over the decades, it has been demonstrated that the reactions of main group compounds with azides lead to diverse N-containing main group molecules. In view of the pronounced progress in this area, this review summarizes the reactions of main group compounds with azides, emphatically introducing their reaction patterns and mechanisms. The reactions of forming inorganic nitrogen species are not included in this review.

Heavier element-containing aromatics of [4n+2]-electron systems

While the implication of the aromaticity concept has been dramatically expanded to date since its emergence in 1865, the classical [4n+2]/4n-electron counting protocol still plays an essential role in evaluating the aromatic nature of compounds. Over the last few decades, a variety of heavier heterocycles featuring the formal [4n+2] π-electron arrangements have been developed, which allows for assessing their aromatic nature. In this review, we present recent developments of the [4n+2]-electron systems of heavier heterocycles involving group 13-15 elements. The synthesis, spectroscopic data, structural parameters, computational data, and reactivity are introduced.

Carbodicarbene Bismaalkene Cations: Unravelling the Complexities of Carbene versus Carbone in Heavy Pnictogen Chemistry

We report a combined experimental and theoretical study on the first examples of carbodicarbene (CDC)-stabilized bismuth complexes, which feature low-coordinate cationic bismuth centers with C=Bi multiple-bond character. Monocations [(CDC)Bi(Ph)Cl][SbF6 ] (8) and [(CDC)BiBr2 (THF)2 ][SbF6 ] (11), dications [(CDC)Bi(Ph)][SbF6 ]2 (9) and [(CDC)BiBr(THF)3 ][NTf2 ]2 (12), and trication [(CDC)2 Bi][NTf2 ]3 (13) have been synthesized via sequential halide abstractions from (CDC)Bi(Ph)Cl2 (7) and (CDC)BiBr3 (10). Notably, the dications and trication exhibit C ⇉ Bi double dative bonds and thus represent unprecedented bismaalkene cations. The synthesis of these species highlights a unique non-reductive route to C-Bi π-bonding character. The CDC-[Bi] complexes (7-13) were compared with related NHC-[Bi] complexes (1, 3-6) and show substantially different structural properties. Indeed, the CDC ligand has a remarkable influence on the overall stability of the resulting low-coordinate Bi complexes, suggesting that CDC is a superior ligand to NHC in heavy pnictogen chemistry.

Crystalline Divinyldiarsenes and Cleavage of the As=As Bond

The first divinyldiarsenes [{(NHC)C(Ph)}As]₂ (NHC=IPr 3 a, SIPr 3 b; IPr=C{(NAr)CH}₂ ; SIPr=C{(NAr)CH₂ }₂ ; Ar=2,6-iPr₂ C₆ H₃ ) are reported. Compounds 3 a and 3 b were prepared by the reduction of corresponding chlorides {(NHC)C(Ph)}AsCl₂ (NHC=IPr 2 a, SIPr 2 b) with Mg. Calculations revealed a small HOMO-LUMO energy gap of 3.86 (3 a) and 4.24 eV (3 b). Treatment of 3 a with (Me₂ S)AuCl led to the cleavage of the As=As bond to restore 2 a, which is expected to proceed via the diarsane [{(IPr)C(Ph)}AsCl]₂ (4). Remarkably, 4 as well as 2 a can be selectively accessed on treatment of 3 a with an appropriate amount of C₂ Cl₆ . Moreover, 3 a readily reacts with PhEEPh (E=Se or Te) at room temperature to give {(IPr)C(Ph)}As(EPh)₂ (E=Se 5 a; Te 5 b), revealing the cleavage of As=As and E-E bonds and the formation of As-E bonds. Such highly selective stepwise oxidation (3 a→4→2 a) and bond metathesis (3 a→5 a,b) reactions are unprecedented in main-group chemistry.

Synthesis and characterization of a stable non-cyclic bis(amino)arsenium cation

The reaction of Li[Mes*NH] (1, Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) with aminoarsane Mes*N(H)AsCl2 (2, Mes* = 2,4,6-t-Bu3C6H2) at −80 °C resulted in the formation of bisamino(chloro)arsane (Mes*NH)2AsCl (3Cl) by elimination of LiCl. 3Cl reacted with the Lewis acids such as AlCl3, GaCl3, and Ag[X] (X = AsF6−, OTf−, BF4−; OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate = OSO2CF3−) upon chloride ion abstraction to give salts bearing the cation [(Mes*NH)2As]+ (3[X]; X = AsF6−, OTf−, BF4−, ECl4; E = Al, Ga). 3+ represents the first NH-functionalized acyclic bis(amino)arsenium cation. The formation of the salts bearing 3+ could also be observed in the reaction of cyclo-1,3-diarsa-2,4-diazane [ClAs(μ-NMes*)]2 (4) with Lewis acids (AlCl3, GaCl3) in the presence of proton sources in solution. All presented salts 3[X] were stable at room temperature and fully characterized.

Tris(2-pyridyl)phosphine as a versatile ligand for pnictogen acceptors

We report cationic complexes of arsenic and antimony with the tris(2-pyridyl)phosphine ligand. Chloride ion abstraction from the main group halide using TMSOTf in presence of the ligand gives [P(Pyr)₃Pn][OTf]₃, in which the trication adopts a Janus Head type complex with a C_3v symmetric cage structure and two apical lone pairs.