From zinco(ii) arsaketenes to silylene-stabilised zinco arsinidene complexes

Abstract

The decarbonylation of the first zinco(II) arsaketene complexes LZnAsCO (2) and LZn(AsCO)(NHC) (4) (L = {CH(CMeNDipp)₂}⁻, Dipp = 2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃; NHC = [C(Me)N(ⁱPr)]₂C:) has been investigated in the presence of the N-heterocyclic silylenes, ^tBuNHSi (^tBuNHSi = [C(H)N(^tBu)]₂Si:) and ^DippNHSi (^DippNHSi = [C(H)N(2,6-ⁱPr₂-C₆H₃)]₂Si:). Depending on the steric demand of the NHSi donor, dimers or monomers of silylene-stabilised arsinidenes are isolated. The bonding situations in all of the novel arsinidene complexes have been elucidated through X-ray diffraction analyses and theoretical calculations.