A General Synthesis of Phosphorus- and Arsenic-Containing Analogues of the Thio- and Seleno-cyanate Anions.

A general synthetic protocol for the synthesis of phosphorus- and arsenic-containing analogues of the thio- and seleno-cyanate anions is reported. This procedure allows for the isolation of three unprecedented species: the phosphaethynselenolate, PCSe- (1), the arsaethynthiolate, AsCS- (2), and the arsaethynselenolate, AsCSe- (3), anions. The structures, electronic properties, and spectroscopic signatures of these species are reported.