Approaching the gas-phase structures of [AgS8]+ and [AgS16]+ in the solid state

Upon treating elemental sulfur with [AgSbF(6)], [AgAl(hfip)(4)], [AgAl(pftb)(4)] (hfip=OCH(CF(3))(2), pftb =OC(CF(3))(3)) the compounds [Ag(S(8))(2)][SbF(6)] (1), [AgS(8)][Al(hfip)(4)] (2), and [Ag(S(8))(2)](+)[[Al(pftb)(4)](-) (3) formed in SO(2) (1), CS(2) (2), or CH(2)Cl(2) (3). Compounds 1-3 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure determinations: 1 by Raman spectroscopy, 2 and 3 by solution NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. Single crystals of [Ag(S(8))(2)](+)[Sb(OTeF(5))(6)](-) 4 were obtained from a disproportionation reaction and only characterized by X-ray crystal structure analysis. The Ag(+) ion in 1 coordinates two monodentate SbF(6) (-) anions and two bidentate S(8) rings in the 1,3-position. Compound 2 contains an almost C(4v)-symmetric [AgS(8)](+) moiety; this is the first example of an eta(4)-coordinated S(8) ring (d(Agbond;S)=2.84-3.00 A). Compounds 3 and 4, with the least basic anions, contain undistorted, approximately centrosymmetric Ag(eta(4)-S(8))(2) (+) cations with less symmetric eta(4)-coordinated S(8) rings (d(Agbond;S)=2.68-3.35 A). The thermochemical radius and volume of the undistorted Ag(S(8))(2) (+) cation was deduced as r(therm)(Ag(S(8))(2) (+))=3.378+ 0.076/-0.120 A and V(therm)(Ag(S(8))(2) (+))=417+4/-6 A(3). AgS(8) (+) and several isomers of the Ag(S(8))(2) (+) cation were optimized at the BP86, B3LYP, and MP2 levels by using the SVP and TZVPP basis sets. An analysis of the calculated geometries showed the MP2/TZVPP level to give geometries closest to the experimental data. Neither BP86 nor B3LYP reproduced the longer weak dispersive Agbond;S interactions in Ag(eta(4)-S(8))(2) (+) but led to Ag(eta(3)-S(8))(2) (+) geometries. With the most accurate MP2/TZVPP level, the enthalpies of formation of the gaseous [AgS(8)](+) and [Ag(S(8))(2)](+) cations were established as Delta(f)H(298)([Ag(S(8))(2)](+), g)=856 kJ mol(-1) and Delta(f)H(298)([AgS(8)](+), g)=902 kJ mol(-1). It is shown that the [AgS(8)](+) moiety in 2 and the [AgS(8)](2) (+) cations in 3 and 4 are the best approximation of these ions, which were earlier observed by MS methods. Both cations reside in shallow potential-energy wells where larger structural changes only lead to small increases in the overall energy. It is shown that the covalent Agbond;S bonding contributions in both cations may be described by two components: i) the interaction of the spherical empty Ag 5s(0) acceptor orbital with the filled S 3p(2) lone-pair donor orbitals and ii) the interaction of the empty Ag 5p(0) acceptor orbitals with the filled S 3p(2) lone-pair donor orbitals. This latter contribution is responsible for the observed low symmetry of the centrosymmetric Ag(eta(4)-S(8))(2) (+) cation. The positive charge transferred from the Ag(+) ion in 1-4 to the coordinated sulfur atoms is delocalized over all the atoms in the S(8) ring by multiple 3p(2)-->3sigma* interactions that result in a small long-short-long-short Sbond;S bond-length alternation starting from S1 with the shortest Agbond;S length. The driving force for all these weak bonding interactions is positive charge delocalization from the formally fully localized charge of the Ag(+) ion.