Gas-phase synthesis and structure of thorium benzyne complexes

Abstract

The thorium benzyne complex (η²-C₆H₄)ThCl₃⁻ was synthesized in the gas phase through consecutive decarboxylation and dehydrochlorination from the (C₆H₅CO₂)ThCl₄⁻ precursor upon collision-induced dissociation. Theoretical calculations suggest that (η²-C₆H₄)ThCl₃⁻ exhibits a metallacyclopropene structure with two polarized Th–C_benzyne σ bonds. This procedure can be generally extended to the synthesis of a wide range of gas-phase thorium benzyne complexes.