A series of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)AgCl complexes [NHC = SIMes (1), IPr (2), SIPr (3), IPrMe (4), IMe (5), ICy (6), IAd (7), IsB (8), IDD (9), and TPh (10)] have been synthesized through reaction of the imidazolium chloride salts with Ag2O or by direct metalation of the corresponding imidazol-2-ylidene carbene in the presence of AgCl. All silver(I) complexes [(SIMes)AgCl] (11), [(IPr)AgCl] (12), [(SIPr)AgCl] (13), [(IPrMe)AgCl] (14), [(IMe)AgCl] (15), [(ICy)AgCl] (16), [(IAd)AgCl] (17), [(IsB)AgCl] (18), [(IDD)AgCl] (19), and [(TPh)AgCl] (20) have been spectroscopically and structurally characterized. The structure of these silver complexes is dependent on the halide and the solvent used for the synthesis. Adjusting these parameters has led to the previously reported complex, [(IMes)2Ag]+[AgCl2]- (21), and to a new silver complex, [(IMes)2Ag]+ 2[Ag4I6]2- (22).

Two different syntheses of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of P(I) cations are presented; the structural features of these phosphamethine cyanine salts, in conjunction with the results of computational investigations, provide insight into the nature of the bonding of these heavy allene analogues.

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Solid-state 63Cu and 65Cu NMR experiments have been conducted on a series of inorganic and organometallic copper(I) complexes possessing a variety of spherically asymmetric two-, three-, and four-coordinate Cu coordination environments. Variations in structure and symmetry, and corresponding changes in the electric field gradient (EFG) tensors, yield 63/65Cu quadrupolar coupling constants (CQ) ranging from 22.0 to 71.0 MHz for spherically asymmetric Cu sites. These large quadrupolar interactions result in spectra featuring quadrupolar-dominated central transition patterns with breadths ranging from 760 kHz to 6.7 MHz. Accordingly, Hahn-echo and/or QCPMG pulse sequences were applied in a frequency-stepped manner to rapidly acquire high S/N powder patterns. Significant copper chemical shielding anisotropies (CSAs) are also observed in some cases, ranging from 1000 to 1500 ppm. 31P CP/MAS NMR spectra for complexes featuring 63/65Cu-31P spin pairs exhibit residual dipolar coupling and are simulated to determine both the sign of CQ and the EFG tensor orientations relative to the Cu-P bond axes. X-ray crystallographic data and theoretical (Hartree-Fock and density functional theory) calculations of 63/65Cu EFG and CS tensors are utilized to examine the relationships between NMR interaction tensor parameters, the magnitudes and orientations of the principal components, and molecular structure and symmetry.

The molecular structures of the stable phosphinyl and arsinyl radicals, .PnR(2) [Pn = P (2); As (4); R = CH(SiMe(3))(2)], have been determined by gas-phase electron diffraction (GED) in conjunction with ab initio molecular orbital calculations. The X-ray crystal structures of the corresponding dipnictines, the "dimers", R(2)PnPnR(2) [Pn = P (1), As (3)], and the chloro derivatives R(2)PnCl [Pn = P (5), As (6)] have also been determined. Collectively, these structural investigations demonstrate that large distortions of the ligands attached to Pn occur when the pnictinyl radicals unite to form the corresponding dipnictine dimers. Principally, it is the shape and flexibility of the CH(SiMe(3))(2) ligands that permit the formation of the P-P and As-As bonds in 1and 3, respectively. However, theoretical studies indicate that in the process of pnictinyl radical dimerization to form 1 and 3, both molecules accumulate substantial amounts of potential energy and are thus primed to spring apart upon release from the solid state by melting, dissolution, or evaporation. The insights gleaned from these unusual systems have permitted a deeper understanding of the functioning of sterically demanding substituents.

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Herein we report the synthesis, structure and preliminary reactivity studies of a series of unusually soluble indium(i) salts that are improved alternatives to indium(i) halide reagents.

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