Publication Date:
2019-04-05
Description:
Chemically binding to argon (Ar) at room temperature has remained the privilege of the most reactive electrophiles, all of which are cationic (or even dicationic) in nature. Herein, we report a concept for the rational design of anionic superelectrophiles that are composed of a strong electrophilic center firmly embedded in a negatively charged framework of exceptional stability. To validate our concept, we synthesized the percyano-dodecoborate [B12(CN)12]2−, the electronically most stable dianion ever investigated experimentally. It serves as a precursor for the generation of the monoanion [B12(CN)11]−, which indeed spontaneously binds Ar at 298 K. Our mass spectrometric and spectroscopic studies are accompanied by high-level computational investigations including a bonding analysis of the exceptional B-Ar bond. The detection and characterization of this highly reactive, structurally stable anionic superelectrophile starts another chapter in the metal-free activation of particularly inert compounds and elements.
Print ISSN:
0027-8424
Electronic ISSN:
1091-6490
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
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