Are Ar₃SbCl₂ Species Lewis Acidic? Exploration of the Concept and Pnictogen Bond Catalysis Using a Geometrically Constrained Example.

ABSTRACT: As part of our investigations into the Lewis acidic behavior of antimony derivatives, we have decided to study the properties of 5-phenyl-5,5-dichloro-λ⁵-dibenzostibole (1), a dichlorostiborane with an antimony atom confined to a five-membered heterocycle. Our work shows that the resulting geometrical constraints elevate the Lewis acidity of the antimony atom, as confirmed by the crystal structure of 1-THF and the solution study of the interaction of 1 with Ph₃PO. The enhanced Lewis acidic properties of 1, which exceed those of simple dichlorostiboranes such as Ph₃SbCl₂, also become manifest in pnictogen bonding catalysis experiments involving the reductions of imines with Hantzsch ester. The influence of geometrical c

SUBMITTER: Smith JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10848295 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature