Diorganochalcogen(II) ligands of type [R2C(OH)CH2](2-Me2NCH2C6H4)E (E = S, Se, Te; R = Me, Ph), and their silver(I) complexes

Abstract Ligands of type [R 2 C(OH)CH 2 ](2-Me 2 NCH 2 C 6 H 4 )E [R = Me, E = S ( 1 ), Se ( 2 ), Te ( 3 ); R = Ph, E = S ( 4 ), Se ( 5 )] were obtained in the reactions of (2-Me 2 NCH 2 C 6 H 4 )ELi and the corresponding R 2 C(OH)CH 2 Cl (R = Me, Ph) reagent. The reactions between the ligands 1 – 3 and 5 with AgOTf (OTf = OSO 2 CF 3 ), in a 1:1 M ratio, resulted in the silver(I) complexes [AgOTf{E[CH 2 C(OH)R 2 ](C 6 H 4 CH 2 NMe 2 -2)}] [R = Me, E = S ( 6 ), Se ( 7 ), Te ( 8 ); R = Ph, E = Se ( 9 )]. The new compounds 1 – 9 were investigated by solution NMR spectroscopy ( 1 H, 19 F, 77 Se, 125 Te, as appropriate). The ligands 1 – 5 were investigated also by 13 C NMR. The IR spectra and the molar conductivity of the silver(I) complexes suggested a covalent nature of the Ag–OTf bond, while their ESI + MS spectra suggest the formation of dimeric species. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed a monomeric structure with intramolecular N⋯H–O hydrogen bonding for compound 5 , while for the complex 6 dimeric associations formed by bridging ligands were found.