Bisstibane-distibane conversion via consecutive single-electron oxidation and reduction reaction

Abstract

peri-Substituted naphthalene complexes (Trip2Pn)2Naph (Pn = Sb 1, Bi 2) were synthesised and their redox behaviour investigated. Oxidation of 1 with [Fc][BArF] (BArF = B(C6F5)4) yielded [(Trip2Sb)(TripSb)Naph][BArF] (3) containing the stibane-coordinated stibenium cation [(Trip2Sb)(TripSb)Naph]+. Subsequent reduction of 3 with KC8 yielded distibane (TripSb)2Naph (4). 1-4 were characterised by NMR (1H, 13C) and IR spectroscopy as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction (sc-XRD), while their electronic structures were analysed by quantum chemical computations.