Arsenic-Mediated C-C Coupling of Cyanides Leading to Cyanido Arsazolide [AsC4 N4 ].

The chemistry of arsenic cyanides has been investigated and is found to be completely different to the chemistry of the heavier analogs antimony and bismuth as well as phosphorus. The reaction of As(CN)3 with cyanide salts resulted in the formation of an unknown cyanido arsazolide heterocycle, which represents a structure isomer of the desired [As(CN)4 ]- . The structure, bonding, and formation of this unusual heterocycle is discussed featuring an arsenic mediated C-C coupling of cyanides. [AsC4 N4 ]- salts with different counterions such as [PPh4 ]+ , [PPN]+ =[Ph3 P-N-PPh3 ]+ , Ag+ , and [BMIm]+ are reported with [BMIm][AsC4 N4 ] being a low-temperature ionic liquid (Tm =-62 °C).