MULTIPLY BRIDGED DIANTIMONY COMPOUNDS

Metathesis reactions between compounds containing either double, (Ph(2 )SbBrO)(2), or single, (Ph(3)SbBr)(2)O, Sb-O-Sb bridges and arsinates, phosphinates, phosphates and carboxylates have been used in attempts to form products containing, respectively, quadruple and triple bridge s. Although triply bridged systems are obtained from (Ph(3)SbBr)(2)O a nd both the arsenic and phosphorus based ligands, only the former reac t with (Ph(2)SbBrO)(2) to produce products with four bridges between t he antimony atoms. Ligand bite is considered to be an important parame ter in stabilising such products.