Donor-Acceptor Chemistry at Heavy Chalcogen Centers

A series of coordination complexes, where a heavy chalcogen (Se, Te) acts as the acceptor site, using a variety of electron rich Lewis bases (phosphine, imine, N-heterocyclic carbene), have been synthesized and comprehensively characterized. Each derivative is a representative example of a E -> Ch coordinative bond, characterizing an efficient E-E bond forming methodology and a systematic investigation into the coordination chemistry of the chalcogens. The complexes are susceptible to classic ligand exchange reactions, verifying the dative E -> Ch bonding motif.