A Stabilized Triarylbismuthane Imide: Synthesis and First X-ray Structure Analysis

Charge frustration in ligand design and functional group transfer

Molecules with different resonance structures of similar importance, such as heterocumulenes and mesoionics, are prominent in many applications of chemistry, including 'click chemistry', photochemistry, switching and sensing. In coordination chemistry, similar chameleonic/schizophrenic entities are referred to as ambidentate/ambiphilic or cooperative ligands. Examples of these had remained, for a long time, limited to a handful of archetypal compounds that were mere curiosities. In this Review, we describe ambiphilicity - or, rather, 'charge frustration' - as a general guiding principle for ligand design and functional group transfer. We first give a historical account of organic zwitterions and discuss their electronic structures and applications. Our discussion then focuses on zwitterionic ligands and their metal complexes, such as those of ylidic and redox-active ligands. Finally, we present new approaches to single-atom transfer using cumulated small molecules and outline emerging areas, such as bond activation and stable donor-acceptor ligand systems for reversible 1e^- chemistry or switching.

Modular bismacycles for the selective C-H arylation of phenols and naphthols

Given the important role played by 2-hydroxybiaryls in organic, medicinal and materials chemistry, concise methods for the synthesis of this common motif are extremely valuable. In seeking to extend the lexicon of synthetic chemists in this regard, we have developed an expedient and general strategy for the ortho-arylation of phenols and naphthols using readily available boronic acids. Our methodology relies on in situ generation of a uniquely reactive Bi(V) arylating agent from a bench-stable Bi(III) precursor via telescoped B-to-Bi transmetallation and oxidation. By exploiting reactivity that is orthogonal to conventional metal-catalysed manifolds, diverse aryl and heteroaryl partners can be rapidly coupled to phenols and naphthols under mild conditions. Following arylation, high-yielding recovery of the Bi(III) precursor allows for its efficient re-use in subsequent reactions. Mechanistic interrogation of each key step of the methodology informs its practical application and provides fundamental insight into the underexploited reactivity of organobismuth compounds.

Solid-Phase Synthesis with Resin-Bound Triarylbismuthanes: Traceless and Multidirectional Cleavage of Unsymmetrical Biphenyls

A multistep solid-phase organic synthesis with resin-bound bismuth linker is described. The flexibilities inherent in this system through novel chemoselective cross-coupling reactions, in conjunction with multidirectional and/or traceless cleavage methodologies, are exploited.

Synthesis and structural comparison of triaryl(sulfonylimino)pnictoranes

Triarylphosphanes 1 (Ar(3)P; Ar = Ph, 4-MeC(6)H(4)), triphenylarsane (2), and triarylstibanes 3 (Ar(3)Sb; Ar = 2-MeC(6)H(4), 2-MeOC(6)H(4)) reacted with trifluoromethanesulfonamide (7a) in the presence of equimolar diethyl azodicarboxylate to afford the corresponding triaryl(sulfonylimino)pnictoranes [Ar(3)M=NSO(2)CF(3); 8 (M = P), 9 (M = As), 10 (M = Sb)]. The Kirsanov-type reaction of triarylantimony dichlorides 5 (Ar(3)SbCl(2); Ar = 2-MeC(6)H(4), 2-MeOC(6)H(4)) and triarylbismuth dichlorides 6 (Ar(3)BiCl(2); Ar = 2-MeC(6)H(4), 2-MeOC(6)H(4), 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)) with sulfonamides 7 (H(2)NSO(2)R; R = CF(3), 4-MeC(6)H(4), Me) in the presence of 2 equiv of potassium tert-butoxide yielded triaryl(sulfonylimino)-lambda(5)-stibanes 10 and -bismuthanes 11, respectively. The ortho-substitution in aryl ligands of 10 and 11 has been found to bring about considerable kinetic stabilization of the reactive Sb=N and Bi=N bonds. A structural comparison was made for a series of triaryl(sulfonylimino)pnictoranes 8-11 by IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. In the IR spectra of 9-11, SO(2) asymmetric stretching absorptions (nu(SO2)) were observed at lower wavenumbers as compared to those of phosphorus counterparts 8. The difference in frequency (Deltanu(SO2)) from 8 increased progressively as the pnictogen element being utilized moved down the group 15 column on the periodic table. X-ray crystallographic analyses of eight of the triaryl(sulfonylimino)pnictoranes prepared confirmed the increasing single-bond character of the M=N bond, with the contribution from the canonical structure M(+)-N=S(O)-O(-) increasing in importance in the order P < As < Sb < Bi. Among all triaryl(sulfonylimino)pnictoranes examined, only imino-lambda(5)-bismuthanes 11 oxidized alcohols to carbonyl compounds.

Synthesis, structure, and reactions of (acylimino)triaryl-lambda(5)-bismuthanes: first comparative study of the (acylimino)pnictorane series

The synthesis, structure, and reactions of (acylimino)triaryl-lambda(5)-bismuthanes and a comparative study of the structure and reactivity of a series of (acylimino)pnictoranes are reported. Treatment of ortho-substituted triarylbismuth dichlorides 1 (Ar(3)BiCl(2); Ar = 2-MeC(6)H(4), 2-MeOC(6)H(4), 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)) with amides 2 (H(2)NCOR; R = CF(3), CCl(3), 3,5-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3)) in the presence of 2.2 equiv of KO-t-Bu in dichloromethane afforded (acylimino)triaryl-lambda(5)-bismuthanes 3 (Ar(3)Bi=NCOR) in yields of 77-96%. The ortho-substituted aryl ligands and the electron-withdrawing N-substituents afford kinetic and thermodynamic stabilization, respectively, to the reactive Bi=N bond. The structures and properties of a series of (acylimino)pnictoranes (Ar(3)M=NCOR and H(3)M=NCOCF(3); M = P, As, Sb, Bi) are compared by IR and (13)C and (15)N NMR, X-ray crystallography, and ab initio molecular orbital calculations. It was found that the contribution of the M(+)-N=C-O(-) canonical form becomes more prominent and the single-bond character of the M=N bond increases progressively as the pnictogen atom becomes heavier. The Bi=N bond of (acylimino)-lambda(5)-bismuthanes 3 possesses a highly polarized single-bond character, probably due to the differences in orbital size and electronegativity between the bismuth and nitrogen atoms. Thermal decomposition of (aroylimino)triaryl-lambda(5)-bismuthane 3f (o-Tol(3)Bi=NCOAr; Ar = 3,5-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3)) produces a gel in dry conditions or aniline 12 (ArNH(2)) in slightly wet conditions with a good recovery of tris(2-methylphenyl)bismuthane (4a). It is likely that the aryl isocyanate 13 (ArNCO) is produced during the thermolysis via a concerted C --> N migration of the Ar group with an elimination of the triarylbismuthonio group as bismuthane 4a. (Acylimino)triaryl-lambda(5)-bismuthanes 3 oxidize 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethanediol, benzenethiol, methanol, and ethanol to benzophenone, diphenyl disulfide, methyl formate, and acetaldehyde, respectively, in two different reaction pathways depending on the structure of the substrates. Compound 3d (o-Tol(3)Bi=NCOCCl(3)) transfers the nitrenoid moiety to triphenylphosphane, triphenylarsane, and tris(2-methylphenyl)stibane to give the corresponding (acylimino)pnictoranes (Ar(3)M=NCOCl(3); M = P, As, Sb) and 4a, suggesting that 3d is thermodynamically much less stable than their lighter pnictogen counterparts. The copper-catalyzed decomposition of 3 (o-Tol(3)Bi=NCOR) afforded N-acyl-o-toluidines 18 (o-TolNHCOR) via a Bi --> N migration of the tolyl group. The observed reactivities of (acylimino)triaryl-lambda(5)-bismuthanes 3 demonstrate a good leaving ability of the bismuthonio group.