Synthesis and Characterization of Nitro-, Trinitromethyl-, and Fluorodinitromethyl-Substituted Triazolyl- and Tetrazolyl-trihydridoborate Anions.

The problem of preparing energetic, exclusively mono-azolyl substituted hydridoborate anions in high yield and purity from [BH4 ]- and nitroazoles by hydrogen elimination was overcome by reacting the corresponding nitroazolate anions with the BH3 adducts BH3 ⋅S(CH3 )2 or BH3 ⋅THF. The highly-energetic, nitro-, trinitromethyl-, and fluorodinitromethyl- substituted triazolyl- and tetrazolyl-trihydridoborate anions were synthesized in this manner and characterized by vibrational and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and their crystal structures. The use of excess BH3 resulted in some cases in the addition of a second BH3 molecule bound more-weakly to one of the nitrogen atoms of the azole ring. All monoazolyl-trihydridoborates were thermally less stable than the parent azolate anions. A decomposition product of tetraphenylphosphonium (5-(trinitromethyl)-5H-2λ4 -tetrazol-2-yl)trihydridoborate, the tetraphenyl-phosphonium (dinitro-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)methanide monohydrate, was also structurally characterized, providing some insight into the decomposition pathways of the nitromethyl-substituted azolyltrihydridoborate anions.

Preparation and Characterization of Group†13 Cyanides.

Binary Group 13 cyanides [PPh4 ][Ga(CN)4 ], [PPh4 ]2 [In(CN)5 ], and [PPh4 ]2 [Tl(CN)5 ] were obtained in quantitative yields from the corresponding metal trifluorides MF3 (M=Ga, In, Tl) by fluoride-cyanide exchange reactions with Me3 SiCN in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of [PPh4 ]CN in acetonitrile solution. The 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) adducts [(bipy)2 Ga(CN)2 ][Ga(CN)4 ], [(bipy)In(CN)3 ], and [(bipy)Tl(CN)3 ] were obtained from the reaction of MF3 with Me3 SiCN and bipy in acetonitrile. While the reaction of the metal trifluorides with Me3 SiCN in acetonitrile resulted in recovery of the starting materials, the reaction of MF3 with Me3 SiCN in pyridine (py) solution resulted in the formation of the pyridine adducts [(py)2 Ga(CN)3 ], [(py)3 In(CN)3 ], and [(py)2 Tl(CN)3 ]. The cyano compounds were characterized by their vibrational spectra and, in most cases, by their X-ray crystal structures.

The Binary Group†4 Azides [PPh4 ]2 [Zr(N3 )6 ] and [PPh4 ]2 [Hf(N3 )6 ].

The binary zirconium and hafnium polyazides [PPh4 ]2 [M(N3 )6 ] (M=Zr, Hf) were obtained in near quantitative yields from the corresponding metal fluorides MF4 by fluoride-azide exchange reactions with Me3 SiN3 in the presence of two equivalents of [PPh4 ][N3 ]. The novel polyazido compounds were characterized by their vibrational spectra and their X-ray crystal structures. Both anion structures provide experimental evidence for near-linear M-N-N coordination of metal azides. The species [M(N3 )4 ], [M(N3 )5 ]- and [M(N3 )6 ]2- (M=Ti, Zr, Hf) were studied by quantum chemical calculations at the electronic structure density functional theory and MP2 levels.

Preparation and Characterization of Antimony and Arsenic Tricyanide and Their 2,2'-Bipyridine Adducts.

The arsenic(III) and antimony(III) cyanides M(CN)3 (M=As, Sb) have been prepared in quantitative yields from the corresponding trifluorides through fluoride-cyanide exchange with Me3 SiCN in acetonitrile. When the reaction was carried out in the presence of one equivalent of 2,2'-bipyridine, the adducts [M(CN)3 ⋅(2,2'-bipy)] were obtained. The crystal structures of As(CN)3 , [As(CN)3 ⋅(2,2'-bipy)] and [Sb(CN)3 ⋅(2,2'-bipy)] were determined and are surprisingly different. As(CN)3 possesses a polymeric three-dimensional structure, [As(CN)3 ⋅(2,2'-bipy)] exhibits a two-dimensional sheet structure, and [Sb(CN)3 ⋅(2,2'-bipy)] has a chain structure, and none of the structures resembles those found for the corresponding arsenic and antimony triazides.

Coordination adducts of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) azide M(N3)5 (M=Nb, Ta) with nitrogen donor ligands and their self-ionization.

Several new donor-acceptor adducts of niobium and tantalum pentaazide with N-donor ligands have been prepared from the pentafluorides by fluoride-azide exchange with Me3SiN3 in the presence of the corresponding donor ligand. With 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline, the self-ionization products [MF4(2,2'-bipy)2](+)[M(N3)6](-), [M(N3)4(2,2'-bipy)2](+)[M(N3)6](-) and [M(N3)4(1,10-phen)2](+)[M(N3)6](-) were obtained. With the donor ligands 3,3'-bipyridine and 4,4'-bipyridine the neutral pentaazide adducts (M(N3)5)2⋅L (M=Nb, Ta; L=3,3'-bipy, 4,4'-bipy) were formed.