Hypercoordinated diorganoantimony(III) compounds of types [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2SbL and [PhCH2N(CH2C6H4)2]SbL (L = Cl,ONO2, OSO2CF3). Synthesis,structure and catalytic behaviour in the Henry reaction

The compounds [2-(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄]₂SbL (L = ONO₂ ( 2 ), OSO₂CF₃ ( 3 )) and [PhCH₂N(CH₂C₆H₄)₂]SbL (L = ONO₂ ( 5 ), OSO₂CF₃ ( 6 )) were prepared by reacting [2-(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄]₂SbCl ( 1 ) and [PhCH₂N(CH₂C₆H₄)₂]SbCl ( 4 ), respectively, with the appropriate silver(I) salt in a 1:1 molar ratio. The new species 2 – 6 were structurally characterized in solution using multinuclear NMR and in the solid state using infrared spectroscopy. The solid-state structures for compounds 2 , 4 and 6, as well as for the hydrolysis ionic product [{2-(Me₂N⁺HCH₂)C₆H₄}{2-(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄}SbOH][CF₃SO₃]⁻ ( 3h ) were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Medium to strong intramolecular N→ Sb interactions were observed in all these four compounds, thus resulting in hypercoordinated organoantimony(III) species 14-Sb-6 in 2 and 10-Sb-4 in the cation of 3h and in 4 and 6 . Compounds 1 – 6 and the starting amines PhCH₂NMe₂ and PhCH₂N(CH₂C₆H₄Br-2)₂ were investigated as catalysts in the Henry (nitroaldol) addition of nitromethane to benzaldehyde. The activity of compounds 1 – 6 resulted as an effect of the cooperation of the positively charged antimony with the negatively charged nitrogen.