Selenocyanation reactions of organometallic compounds of lead, tin, and thallium

Abstract

Triphenyl-lead selenocyanate has been prepared by the reaction of tetraphenyl-lead with selenium diselenocyanate, by the metathesis of triphenyl-lead chloride with potassium selenocyanate, and by cleavage of hexaphenyldiplumbane with selenium diselenocyanate. Tetramethyl- and tetraethyl-lead reacted similarly with selenium diselenocyanate to give trialkyl-lead selenocyanates, and under more forcing conditions tetraphenyl-lead yielded diphenyl-lead diselenocyanate. By contrast, cleavage of hexaphenyldistannane yielded triphenyltin isoselenocyanate which was also prepared by metathesis. The reaction between triphenylthallium and selenium diselenocyanate afforded diphenylthallium selenocyanate. The infrared spectra and structure of these compounds are briefly considered.