Triphenylarsine is the
chemical compound
A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...
with the formula As(C
6H
5)
3. This
organoarsenic compound
Organoarsenic chemistry is the chemistry of compounds containing a chemical bond between arsenic and carbon. A few organoarsenic compounds, also called "organoarsenicals," are produced industrially with uses as insecticides, herbicides, and fungic ...
, often abbreviated As
Ph3, is a colorless crystalline solid that is used as a ligand and a reagent in
coordination chemistry
A coordination complex consists of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as ''ligands'' or complexing agents. Many ...
and
organic synthesis
Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the intentional construction of organic compounds. Organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis has developed into one o ...
. The molecule is pyramidal with As-C distances of 1.942–1.956 Å and C-As-C angles of 99.6–100.5°.
This compound is prepared by the reaction of
arsenic trichloride
Arsenic trichloride is an inorganic compound with the formula AsCl3, also known as arsenous chloride or butter of arsenic. This poisonous oil is colourless, although impure samples may appear yellow. It is an intermediate in the manufacture of o ...
with
chlorobenzene
Chlorobenzene is an aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5Cl. This colorless, flammable liquid is a common solvent and a widely used intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals.
Uses
Historical
The major use of chlorob ...
using
sodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable iso ...
as the reducing agent:
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:AsCl3 + 3 PhCl + 6 Na → AsPh3 + 6 NaCl
Reactions
Reaction of triphenylarsine with lithium gives lithium diphenylarsenide:
:AsPh3 + 2 Li → LiAsPh2 + LiPh
Triphenylarsine is the precursor to tetraphenylarsonium chloride, sPh4l, a popular precipitating agent.[
AsPh3 forms ]metal complex
A coordination complex consists of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as ''ligands'' or complexing agents. Many ...
es with metals. Most are analogues of the corresponding triphenylphosphine derivatives. Examples include IrCl(CO)(AsPh3)2, RhCl(AsPh3)3, and Fe(CO)4(AsPh3).Tetraphenylarsonium chloride
Tetraphenylarsonium chloride is the organoarsenic compound with the formula (C6H5)4AsCl. This white solid is the chloride salt of the tetraphenylarsonium cation, which is tetrahedral. Typical of related quat salts, it is soluble in polar organic ...
is prepared from triphenylarsine:
References
{{reflist
Phenyl compounds
Organoarsenic compounds