Undecafluorodiarsenate Anion: Synthesis and Crystal Structure of (MeS)(2)CSH(+)As(2)F(11)(-)

Fluoride-Ion Donor Properties of AsF5

Arsenic pentafluoride undergoes ligand-induced autoionization in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) in a SO2ClF solution to form the donor-stabilized [AsF4(phen)][AsF6] salt. Reacting [AsF4(phen)][AsF6] with the strong Lewis acid SbF5·SO2 yields the mixed arsenic-antimony salt [AsF4(phen)][Sb2F11]. These salts are the first examples of crystallographically characterized donor-stabilized [AsF4]+ cations. The analogous reaction of AsF5 and 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) does not result in autoionization but leads to the formation of the neutral 2:1 adduct (AsF5)2·bipy. The gas-phase and solution fluoride-ion affinities of [AsF4]+ and [SbF4]+ were calculated, revealing them to be incredibly strong Lewis acids. Density functional theory calculations and natural bond orbital analysis show that significant electron-pair donation from phen to the As center in [AsF4(phen)]+ occurs and quenches the extreme electrophilicity of the [AsF4]+ cation.

The [2+2] cycloaddition product of perhalogenated cyclopentadienyl cations: structural characterization of salts of the [C10Cl10]2+ and [C10Br10]2+ dications

Instead of monomeric cyclopentadienyl cations, the low-temperature reaction of hexachloro- and hexabromocyclo-pentadiene (C5Cl6 and C5Br6) with powerful Lewis acids SbF5 and AsF5 in SO2ClF yields salts of perhalogenated dications [C10Cl10][Sb3F16]2 and [C10Br10][As2F11]2 which are characterized via single crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy. Additionally, this reactivity is rationalized by quantum-chemical calculations.

Can Weakly Coordinating Anions Stabilize Mercury in Its Oxidation State +IV?

While the thermochemical stability of gas-phase HgF4 against F2 elimination was predicted by accurate quantum chemical calculations more than a decade ago, experimental verification of "truly transition-metal" mercury(IV) chemistry is still lacking. This work uses detailed density functional calculations to explore alternative species that might provide access to condensed-phase Hg(IV) chemistry. The structures and thermochemical stabilities of complexes Hg(IV)X4 and Hg(IV)F2X2 (X- = AlF4-, Al2F7-, AsF6-, SbF6-, As2F11-, Sb2F11-, OSeF5-, OTeF5-) have been assessed and are compared with each other, with smaller gas-phase HgX4 complexes, and with known related noble gas compounds. Most species eliminate F2 exothermically, with energies ranging from only about -60 kJ mol(-1) to appreciable -180 kJ mol(-1). The lower stability of these species compared to gas-phase HgF4 is due to relatively high coordination numbers of six in the resulting Hg(II) complexes that stabilize the elimination products. Complexes with AsF6 ligands appear more promising than their SbF6 analogues, due to differential aggregation effects in the Hg(II) and Hg(IV) states. HgF2X2 complexes with X- = OSeF5- or OTeF5- exhibit endothermic fluorine elimination and relatively weak interactions in the Hg(II) products. However, elimination of the peroxidic (OEF5)2 coupling products of these ligands provides an alternative exothermic elimination pathway with energies between -120 and -130 kJ mol(-1). While all of the complexes investigated here thus have one exothermic decomposition channel, there is indirect evidence that the reactions should exhibit nonnegligible activation barriers. A number of possible synthetic pathways towards the most interesting condensed-phase Hg(IV) target complexes are proposed.

Oxidation of CS2 by AsBr4+: The Unexpected Formation of the Simple CS2Br3+ Carbenium Ion

During the preparation of AsBr4(+)[Al(OR)4]-, the novel carbocation CS2Br3+ was synthesized by reaction of AsBr3, Br2, CS2, and Ag[Al(OR)4] (R=C(CF3)3). CS2Br3(+)[Al(OR)4]- was characterized by its crystal structure, NMR and IR spectroscopy, and quantum chemical calculations (including COSMO solvation enthalpies). Additional experiments as well as the computed thermodynamics indicated two likely reaction pathways: Ag(+) +2Br2 +CS2-->CS2Br3(+) +AgBr and the direct 4e- oxidation reaction AsBr4(+) +CS2-->CS2Br3(+) + 1/6As6Br6. Both reactions were observed experimentally and were calculated to be exergonic in solution by -226 and -56 kJ mol(-1) respectively. As a result of charge delocalization the C-S and C-Br distances in the cation are shortened by 0.06 to 0.08 A; the S--Br distances are also slightly shortened indicating a delocalization of the charge also to the bromine atoms in the (S--Br moieties. Based on an analysis of the cation-anion contacts as well as quantum chemical MP2 calculations, a delocalization model as a planar 10 pi electron system is discussed and the pi molecular orbitals are given. It will be shown that the electronic situation of CS2Br3+ is very close to that in CBr3+, that is, the properties of SBr moieties and Br atoms as pi donors towards a formal C+ center are comparable.