Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of antimony pentachloride complexes with neutral oxygen, sulfur and selenium ligands

The compounds SbCl₅(R₃EY)] (R = Me or Ph; E = P or As; Y = O or S) have been prepared from SbCl₅ and the appropriate ligand in CH₂Cl₂ or CCl₄ solutions, and characterised by analysis, IR, ¹H, ³¹P{¹H}, ¹²¹Sb NMR spectroscopy and conductance measurements. The SbCl₅(μ-L-L)SbCl₅] L-L = Ph₂P(O)CH₂P(O)Ph₂, Ph₂P(O)(CH₂)₂P(O)Ph₂, Ph₂P(S)CH₂P(S)Ph₂, Ph₂As(O)CH₂As(O)Ph₂, and o-C₆H₄(P(O)Ph₂)₂ have been synthesised and similarly characterised. The unstable SbCl₅(R₃PSe)] have been prepared at low temperatures and characterised by IR spectroscopy. In solution in chlorocarbons they decompose rapidly to Se and R₃PCl₂. The reactions of R₃SbS with SbCl₅ produced R₃SbCl₂.