Reactions of triphenylarsine oxide with aqueous hydrogen fluoride: Crystal structure of bis(triphenylarsine oxide)hydrogen(I) tetrafluoroborate

Fluorination of triphenylarsine oxide by aqueous hydrogen fluoride (1–40%) in the absence of glass readily gives triphenylarsine difluoride. When the reaction with dilute (1%) aqueous hydrogen fluoride is carried out in borosilicate glass apparatus, the glass participates in the reaction resulting in the formation of the crystalline 2:1 adduct 2Ph₃AsO·HBF₄. Crystals of this compound are monoclinic, $\text{P}$2₁/$\text{c}$, $\text{a}$ = 12.926(4), $\text{b}$ = 17.819(6), $\text{c}$ = 14.994(4) Å, β = 98.97(3)°, Z = 4. The structure contains cations [(Ph₃AsO)₂H]⁺ in which $\text{O}\text{?}$O is 2.44(2)Å, and anions BF₄^?.