A Synthetic, Structural, Spectroscopic, and Computational Study of Alkali Metal–Thioether, −Selenoether, and −Telluroether Interactions

The rigid thioether- and selenoether-containing pro-ligands, 4,5-bis(phenylsulfido)-2,7,9,9-tetramethylacridan (H[AS₂^Ph2] (1)) and 4,5-bis(phenylselenido)-2,7,9,9-tetramethylacridan (H[ASe₂^Ph2] (2)), were deprotonated with one equiv of ⁿBuLi to afford dimeric lithium complexes [Li(AE₂^Ph2)]₂ (E = S (3), Se (4)) or with one equiv of KCH₂Ph to afford the previously reported potassium complexes [K(AS₂^Ph2)(dme)]_x (5) and [K(ASe₂^Ph2)(dme)₂] (6). …