TAS+(Z)-Me3CNSN- and TAS+(E)-Me3SiNSN-: does the anion-cation interaction influence the configuration?

TAS+ salts (TAS = (Me2N)3S) of the sulfur diimide anions Me3XNSN- (X = C (1a), Si (1b)) were prepared by Si-N bond cleavage from the corresponding sulfur diimides Me3XNSNSiMe3 and TAS-fluoride ((Me2N)3S+Me3SiF2-) and characterized by X-ray crystallography and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. According to the experimentally determined bond lengths and theoretical calculations, the Me3XNSN- anions are best described as thiazylamides Me3X-N-S identical to N rather than sulfur diimides Me3X-N=S=N. In agreement with the calculated and experimentally determined structures of the isoelectronic thionylimides RNSO, 1a adopts the Z-configuration, which is electronically favored due to anomeric effects. The electronically disfavored E-configuration of 1b in the solid state can be explained by weak anion-cation interaction.