Preparation and characterization of para-toluenesulphonato complexes of arsenic(III), antimony(III) and bismuth(III)

Abstract

Antimony(III) oxide reacts with <em>para</em>-toluenesulphonic acid, <em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃H(PTS), and its anhydride, (<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₂)₂O, to yield SbO(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃) while bismuth(III) oxide combines with PTS and its anhydride to give BiO(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃) and Bi(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃)₃, respectively. Arsenic(III) oxide, however, shows no reactivity either towards PTS or its anhydride. Compounds of the type M(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃)₃ (M= As, Sb and Bi) have been prepared by the metathetical reaction between silver <em>para</em>-toluenesulphonate and the appropriate metal chloride. Sodium arsenite and bismuthate react with PTS to yield Na[AsO(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃)₂] and Na[Bi(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃)₄], respectively. The compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, conductance and IR measurement. M(<em>p</em>-CH₃C₆H₄SO₃)₃ (M =As, Sb, and Bi) compounds are capable of functioning both as lewis acids and bases. The <em>para</em>-toluenesulphonate ion in these compounds is easily replaced by Br^- ion.