Recent studies have highlighted how reactive sulfur species (RSS) can be regulated and transported by metal-sulfur coordination compounds. We report herein the reactivity of PhB(tBuIm)3NiCl (1) with RSS, including the… Click to show full abstract
Recent studies have highlighted how reactive sulfur species (RSS) can be regulated and transported by metal-sulfur coordination compounds. We report herein the reactivity of PhB(tBuIm)3NiCl (1) with RSS, including the hydrosulfide anion ([Bu4N][SH]) and a reduced tetrasulfide ([K18-C-6]2[S4]). The strongly donating tris(carbene) ligand in 1 is geometrically constrained to a tetrahedral geometry, and the energetically preferable square planar geometry is not achievable with the [PhB(tBuIm)3]- ligand. Upon reaction of 1 with [Bu4N][SH] and [K18-C-6]2[S4], the square planar complexes PhB(tBuIm)2(tBuImH)Ni(SH)2 (2) and PhB(tBuIm)2(tBuImH)Ni(η2-S2) (3) are formed, respectively, via the protonation of one carbene ligand donor atom. Mechanistic investigation suggest that protonation occurs either from decomposition of 1 during the reaction progress, reactions with advantageous [Bu4N]+/[K18-C-6]+ countercations or from the generation of transient unidentified RSS that facilitate proton transfer reactions.
               
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