Toward N-heterocyclic carbene stabilized zinc sulfides

A series of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) supported group 12 acetate complexes were prepared and their use as building blocks toward soluble group 12 sulfide precursors was explored. The highly moisture-sensitive NHC-ligated zinc dithiolato complex [(IPr)Zn(SSiMe₃)₂] was also synthesized [IPr=1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene], and its partial hydrolysis gave the dianionic zinc sulfide cluster [Zn₃(μ₃-S)(μ₂-SSiMe₃)₃(SSiMe₃)₃]²⁻, which contained a rare example of a Zn₃S structural motif. This preliminary observation indicates that the future growth of related metallosulfide clusters from [(IPr)Zn(SSiMe₃)₂] should be possible.