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

Walley, J. E.; Warring, L. S.; Wang, G.; Dickie, D. A.; Pan, S.; Frenking, G.; Gilliard Jr., R. J. Carbodicarbene Bismaalkene Cations: Unravelling the Complexities of Carbene versus Carbone in Heavy Pnictogen Chemistry. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2021, 60, 6682-6690.

Abstract

While pnictaalkenes are well‐established for the light group 15 elements, they become more reactive and exceptionally rare as the group is descended. Herein, 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)2Bi][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. In addition, 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. All compounds have been characterized by multiple analytical methods including 1H and 13C NMR, X‐ray crystallography, elemental analysis, and UV‐Vis spectroscopy. In addition, the bonding situation was analyzed with modern charge and energy decomposition analysis.

Last updated on 03/08/2021