Dinuclear Manganese(II) Complexes with Bridging Selenidodiarsenate Anions [As2Se4]4−, [As2Se5]4− and [As2Se6]2−

Solvothermal reaction of [MnCl₂(amine)] (amine = terpy and tren) with elemental As and Se at a 1:1:2 molar ratio in H₂O/tren (10:1) affords the dimanganese(II) complexes [{Mn(terpy)}₂(μ‐As₂Se₄)] ( 1 ) and [{Mn(tren)}₂(μ‐As₂Se₅)] ( 2 ) respectively. The tetradentate [As₂Se₄]^4? bridging ligands in 1 contain a central As–As bond and exhibit approximately C_2h symmetry. Pairs of gauche sited Se atoms participate in five‐membered As₂Se₂Mn chelate rings. In contrast, two AsSe₃ pyramids share a common corner in the [As₂Se₅]^4? ligands of 2 and each coordinates an [Mn(tren)]²⁺ fragment through a single terminal Se atom. Such dinuclear complexes are linked into tetranuclear moieties through weak Se···Mn interactions of length 3.026(3) Å involving one of these terminal Se atoms. At a 1:3:6 molar ratio, solvothermal reaction of [MnCl₂(tren)] with As and Se leads to formation of a second dinuclear complex [{Mn(tren)}₂(μ‐As₂Se₆)₂] ( 3 ), which contains two bridging bidentate [As₂Se₆]^2? ligands. These are cyclic with an As₂Se₄ ring and can be regarded as being derived from [As₂Se₅]^4? anions by formation of two Se‐Se bonds to an additional Se atom.     

The molecular structure of bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraarsane from ab initio calculations using analytical gradients

The molecular structure of three different isomers of bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraarsane has been obtained by means of ab initio techniques including the use of non-empirical pseudo-potentials and analytical first derivatives of the total energy versus the nuclear coordinates. The results show unequivocally the existence of three different stable structures. The very small energy difference between the exo—exo and endo—exo is further evidence that these are in fact the two isomers found experimentally.     

Functionalization of P4 Using a Lewis Acid Stabilized Bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane Anion

Reacting white phosphorus (P₄) with sterically encumbered aryl lithium reagents (aryl=2,6‐dimesitylphenyl or 2,4,6‐tBu₃C₆H₂) and B(C₆F₅)₃ gives the unique, isolable Lewis acid stabilized bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane anion. Subsequent alkylation of the nucleophilic site of the RP₄ anion gives access to non‐symmetrical disubstituted bicyclic tetraphosphorus compounds. This novel method enables P? C bond formation in a controlled fashion using white phosphorus as starting material.     

(C2H10N2)[BPO4F2] — Structural Relations between [BPO4F2]2— and [Si2O6]4—

(C₂H₁₀N₂)[BPO₄F₂] — Strukturbeziehungen zwischen [BPO₄F₂]^2— und [Si₂O₆]^4— Colourless crystals of (C₂H₁₀N₂)[BPO₄F₂] were prepared from mixture of ethylendiamine, H₃BO₃, BF₃ · C₂H₅NH₂, H₃PO₄ and HCl under mild hydrothermal conditions (220 °C). The crystal structure was determined by single crystal methods (triclinic, P1¯ (no. 2), a = 451.85(5) pm, b = 710.20(8) pm, c = 1210.2(2) pm, α = 86.08(1)°, β = 88.52(2)°, γ = 71.74(1)°, Z = 2) and contains infinite tetrahedral zweier‐single‐chains {[BPO₄F₂]^2—} which are isoelectronic (48e^—) with the polyanions {[Si₂O₆]^4—} of the pyroxene family.     

α‐Selective Ring‐Opening Reactions of Bicyclo[1.1.0]butyl Boronic Ester with Nucleophiles

The reaction of bicyclo[1.1.0]butyl pinacol boronic ester (BCB‐Bpin) with nucleophiles has been studied. Unlike BCBs bearing electron‐withdrawing groups, which react with nucleophiles at the β‐position, BCB‐Bpin reacts with a diverse set of heteroatom (O, S, N)‐centred nucleophiles exclusively at the α‐position. Aliphatic alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, thiols and sulfonamides were found to be competent nucleophiles, providing ready access to α‐heteroatom‐substituted cyclobutyl boronic esters. In contrast, sterically hindered bis‐sulfonamides and related nucleophiles reacted with BCB‐Bpin at the β′‐position leading to cyclopropanes with high trans‐selectivity. The origin of selectivity is discussed.     

Insertion of Phosphenium Ions into a Bicyclo[1.1.0]Tetraphosphabutane Iron Complex

By reacting [{Cp‴Fe(CO)₂}₂(µ,η^1:1-P₄)] (1) with in situ generated phosphenium ions [Ph₂P][A] ([A]⁻ = [OTf]⁻ = [O₃SCF₃]⁻, [PF₆]⁻), a mixture of two main products of the composition [{Cp‴Fe(CO)₂}₂(µ,η^1:1-P₅(C₆H₅)₂)][PF₆] (2a and 3a) could be identified by extensive ³¹P NMR spectroscopic studies at 193 K. Compound 3a was also characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, showing the rarely observed bicyclo[2.1.0]pentaphosphapentane unit. At room temperature, the novel compound [{Cp‴Fe}(µ,η^4:1-P₅Ph₂){Cp‴(CO)₂Fe}][PF₆] (4) is formed by decarbonylation. Reacting 1 with in situ generated diphenyl arsenium ions gives short-lived intermediates at 193 K which disproportionate at room temperature into tetraphenyldiarsine and [{Cp‴Fe(CO)₂}₄(µ₄,η^1:1:1:1-P₈)][OTf]₂ (5) containing a tetracyclo[3.3.0.0^2,7.0^3,6]octaphosphaoctane ligand.