Synthesis and properties of hypervalent electron-rich pentacoordinate nitrogen compounds.

Isolation and structural characterization of hypervalent electron-rich pentacoordinate nitrogen species have not been achieved despite continuous attempts for over a century. Herein we report the first synthesis and isolation of air stable hypervalent electron-rich pentacoordinate nitrogen cationic radical ( 11-N-5 ) species from oxidation of their corresponding neutral ( 12-N-5 ) species. In the cationic radical species, the nitrogen centers adopt a trigonal bipyramidal geometry featuring a 3-center-5-electron hypervalent attractive interaction. The combination of single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and computational studies revealed weak N-O interactions between the central nitrogen cation and oxygen atoms. This successful design strategy and isolation of air-stable pentacoordinate hypervalent nitrogen species allow further investigations on reactivity and properties resulting from these unusually weakly coordinating interactions in nitrogen compounds.
Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare.
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