Reactivity of E4 (E4=P4, As4, AsP3) towards Low-Valent Al(I) and Ga(I) Compounds

The reactivity of yellow arsenic and the interpnictogen compound AsP3 towards low-valent group 13 compounds was investigated. The reactions of [LAl] (1, L=[{N((C6H3Pr2)-Pr-i-2,6)C(Me)}(2)CH](-)) with As-4 and AsP3 lead to [(LAl)(2)(mu,eta(1:1:1:1)-E-4)] (E-4=As-4 (3 b), AsP3 (3 c)) by insertion of two fragments [LAl] into two of the six E-E edges of the E-4 tetrahedra. Furthermore, the reaction of [LGa] (2) with E-4 afforded [LGa(eta(1:1)-E-4)] (E-4=As-4 (4 b), AsP3 (4 c)). In these compounds, only one E-E bond of the E-4 tetrahedra was cleaved. These compounds represent the first examples of the conversion of yellow arsenic and AsP3, respectively, with group 13 compounds. Furthermore, the reactivity of the gallium complexes towards unsaturated transition metal units or polypnictogen (E-n) ligand complexes was investigated. This leads to the heterobimetallic compounds [(LGa)(mu,eta(2:1:1)-P-4)(LNi)] (5 a), [(Cp'''Co)(mu,eta(4:1:1)-E-4)(LGa)] (E=P (6 a), As (6 b), Cp'''=eta(5)-(C5H2Bu3)-Bu-t) and [(Cp'''Ni)(eta(3:1:1)-E-3)(LGa)] (E=P (7 a), As (7 b)), which combine two different ligand systems in one complex (nacnac and Cp) as well as two different types of metals (main group and transition metals). The products were characterized by crystallographic and spectroscopic methods.

Automated summary

The reactivity of yellow arsenic and AsP3 with low-valent group 13 compounds was investigated. The reactions lead to the insertion of [LAl] fragments into the E-E edges of the E-4 tetrahedra, and the cleavage of a single E-E bond in the E-4 tetrahedra. The reactivity of gallium complexes towards unsaturated transition metal units or polypnictogen ligand complexes was also explored.