Synthesis and characterization of the first discrete potassium thiolates displaying three different coordination spheres at potassium in one molecule

Abstract

Potassium hydride reacts with HSC₆H₂Prⁱ₃-2,4,6 (HSR) in THF or thf–tmen (tmen =N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine) to afford the first discrete, hexameric potassium thiolates [{K(SR)}₂{K(thf)(SR)}₂{K(thf)₂(SR)}₂] 3 and [{K(SR)}₂{K(thf)(SR)}₂{K(tmen)(SR)}₂], 4·thf, exhibiting an unusual box-shaped structure with three different coordination spheres for the three independent potassium atoms.