0000000001118618
AUTHOR
Ian Morgan
Synthesis of a labile sulfur-centred ligand, [S(H)C(PPh2S)2]-: structural diversity in lithium(i), zinc(ii) and nickel(ii) complexes
A high-yield synthesis of [Li{S(H)C(PPh2S)2}]2 [Li2·(3)2] was developed and this reagent was used in metathesis with ZnCl2 and NiCl2 to produce homoleptic complexes 4 and 5b in 85 and 93% yields, respectively. The solid-state structure of the octahedral complex [Zn{S(H)C(PPh2S)2}2] (4) reveals notable inequivalence between the Zn–S(C) and Zn–S(P) contacts (2.274(1) Å vs. 2.842(1) and 2.884(1) Å, respectively). Two structural isomers of the homoleptic complex [Ni{S(H)C(PPh2S)2}2] were isolated after prolonged crystallization processes. The octahedral green Ni(II) isomer 5a exhibits the two monoprotonated ligands bonded in a tridentate (S,S′,S′′) mode to the Ni(II) centre with three distinctl…
Comment on "Crystallographic Snapshot of an Arrested Intermediate in the Biomimetic Activation of CO2"
Out of focus: A recent Communication published in this journal describes the synthesis of [nBu4N]HCO3. The authors performed a single-crystal X-ray study that revealed a putative species described as an incipient hydroxide ion engaging in a long, and presumably weak, interaction with CO2. Our recent exploration of the coordination chemistry of CO2 with small ions leads us to believe that such an exceptional bonding situation is unlikely. Instead, we argue that the crystal structure is that of [nBu4N]O2CCH3 and therefore not representative of the bulk powder from the synthesis. peerReviewed