Dilithiation of the dimercaptoborane
TbtB(SH)2 (1), which was synthesized by
the
sulfurization of the corresponding overcrowded lithium
aryltrihydroborate bearing the 2,4,6-tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl (Tbt) group,
followed by treatment with electrophiles
such as Cp2TiCl2,
Mes2GeBr2,
Ph2SnCl2, and TbtSbBr2
resulted in the isolation of novel four-membered boracycles, 1,3,2,4-dithiaboratitanetane,
1,3,2,4-dithiagermaboretane, 1,3,2,4-dithiastannaboretane, and 1,3,2,4-dithiastibaboretane as stable
crystals, respectively. The
introduction of a C, Si, or P atom to the four-membered ring was not
successful. The
structures of the newly obtained four-membered boracycles were
determined by X-ray
crystallographic analysis. The four-membered rings are almost
planar and perpendicular
to the aromatic ring of Tbt group. The geometries around the boron
atom in the
four-membered ring are found to be almost trigonal planer, and the
S−B−S angles in the
ring are not much smaller than 90°, indicating that the geometry
around the boron and
sulfur atoms was not so different from that of 1 in spite of
being embedded in the ring system.