Thallium(I) bis(mercaptoimidazolyl)borates

Abstract Thallium(I) bis(mercaptoimidazolyl)borates Tl(Bm R ) (R=Me, Bz, Bu t , p-Tol) have been conveniently obtained in a one-pot reaction by metathesis of thallium(I) acetate and the corresponding sodium derivatives Na(Bm R ), in turn generated in high yield from NaBH 4 and the appropriate 2-mercapto-1-alkylimidazoles. In contrast to polymeric Tl(Bm Me ), the tert -butyl-substituted complex Tl(Bm t Bu ) consists of discrete dimeric molecules in the solid state, as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and is highly soluble in aromatic hydrocarbons.