The reaction of TerN(SiMe3)BiCl2 (1) (Ter = 2,6-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)phenyl)
with Lewis acids such as GaCl3 and Ag[OTf] (OTf = OSO2CF3) was studied. While the reaction of 1 with GaCl3 led to decomposition into bismuth black, TerNH2·GaCl3, and [TerNH3][GaCl4], the reactions of 1 with 1 and 2 equiv of Ag[OTf]
resulted in methyl/triflate exchange reactions affording TerN(SiMe2OTf)Bi(Me)Cl (2) and TerN(SiMe2OTf)Bi(Me)OTf
(3). To circumvent the methyl/triflate exchange, the
diiodide compound TerN(SiMe3)BiI2 (5) and the azide-substituted derivatives TerN(SiMe3)Bi(Cl)N3 (6) and TerN(SiMe3)Bi(N3)2 (7) were prepared, although it was not
possible to isolate pure 7 because of small impurities
of 6. All of the bismuth compounds (1–7) were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction
and NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopy. According to quantum-chemical
calculations, 3 can be regarded as a donor-stabilized
aminobismuthenium cation with OTf– as the counterion.
As expected for bismuth compounds with aromatic scaffolds, Bi···π-arene
interactions were observed. The influence of the substitution at the
bismuth atom on the strength of this intramolecular interaction with
the terphenyl moiety was studied by experimental (crystal structures)
and theoretical methods. A correlation between the Lewis acidity (NBO
charge) and the Bi···π-arene distance could be
established.