Solvation Effects on the Structure and Stability of Alkali Metal Carbenoids
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.: RESOLV member Prof. V. Gessner reports the results of her investigations on how solvent selection affects the structure, stability, and breakdown of alkali metal carbenoids. This study examines the effects of solvent coordination and aggregation on carbenoid behavior and finds that toluene causes aggregation and quicker breakdown, whereas THF stabilizes lithium carbenoids as monomers.
With an emphasis on lithium, sodium, and potassium carbenoids, this study investigates how solvent selection affects the structure, stability, and breakdown of alkali metal carbenoids. It examines the effects of solvent coordination and aggregation on carbenoid behavior and finds that toluene causes aggregation and quicker breakdown, whereas THF stabilizes lithium carbenoids as monomers. Because the metal-chlorine interactions in sodium and potassium carbenoids are weaker, they are less solvent-dependent. Crucial discoveries, confirmed by several experimental and computational methods, imply that donor ligands, such as crown ethers, may be able to further adjust the stability and reactivity of carbenoid compounds.
