Preparations, sulphinate coordination, and thermal decomposition of some bismuth triarenesulphinates

Abstract

Bismuth triarenesulphinates, Bi(02SR)3 [R = Ph, p -MeC6H4, p-ClC6H4, 2,4,6-(Me2CH)3C6H2, and p -MeCONHC6H4], have been prepared by reaction of bismuth triacetate with the appropriate arenesulphinio acids in glacial acetic acid, and the first two compounds have also been obtained by reaction of triphenyl-bismuth with the appropriate mercuric arenesulphinates. The sulphur-oxygen stretching frequencies of the bismuth sulphinates are indicative of O -sulphinate coordination, and the compounds are considered to be polymeric with bridging O -sulphinate groups and six-coordinate bismuth. Thermal decomposition of Bi(O2SR)3 (R = Ph, p -MeC6H4, or p-CIC6H4) under vacuum gave the corresponding triarylbismuth compounds and sulphur dioxide, the preparation of tri- p- chlorophenylbismuth being accompanied by formation of di- p -chlorophenyl sulphone and S- p -chlorophenyl p -chlorobenzenethiosulphonate. Pyrolysis of the other triarenesulphinates did not yield organobismuth compounds.