Preparation of stable AsBr4+ and I2As-PI3+ salts. Why didn't we succeed to prepare AsI4+ and As2X5+? A combined experimental and theoretical study.

In analogy to our successful "PX2+" insertion reactions, an "AsX2+" insertion route was explored to obtain new arsenic halogen cations. Two new salts were prepared: AsBr4+[Al(OR)4]-, starting from AsBr3, Br2 and Ag[Al(OR)4], and I2As-PI3+[Al(OR)]4 from AsI3, PI3 and Ag[Al(OR)4](R=C(CF3)3). The first cation is formally a product of an "AsBr2+" insertion into the Br2 molecule and the latter clearly a "PI2+" insertion into the As-I bond of the AsI3 molecule. Both compounds were characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, the first also by its X-ray structure. Reactions of Ag[Al(OR)4] with AsI3 do not lead to ionization and AgI formation but rather lead to a marginally stable Ag(AsI3)2+[Al(OR)]4 salt. Despite many attempts we failed to prepare other PX-cation analogues such as AsI4+, As2X5+ and P4AsX2+(X=Br, I). To explain these negative results the thermodynamics of the formation of EX2+, EX4+ and E2X5+(E = As, P; X = Br, I) was carefully analyzed with MP2/TZVPP calculations and inclusion of entropy and solvation effects. We show that As2Br5+ is in very rapid equilibrium with AsBr2+ and AsBr3(DeltaGo((CH2Cl2))=+30 kJ mol(-1)). The extremely reactive AsBr2+ cation available in the equilibrium accounts for the observed decomposition of the [Al(OR)4]- anion. By contrast, the stability of AsI3 against Ag[Al(OR)4] appears to be kinetic and, if prepared by a suitable route, As2I5+ would be expected to have a stability intermediate between the known P2I5+ and P2Br5+.