The superacid HBr/AlBr(3) : protonation of benzene and ordered crystal structure of [C(6)H(7)](+)[Al(2)Br(7)](-).
Crystalline and properly ordered protonated benzene as the [C6 H7 ](+) [Al2 Br7 ](-) ⋅(C6 H6 ) salt 1 are obtained by the combination of solid AlBr3 , benzene, and HBr gas. Compound 1 was characterized and verified by NMR, Raman and X-Ray spectroscopy. This unexpected simple and straight forward access shows that HBr/AlBr3 is an underestimated superacid that should be used more frequently.
Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum (FMF) und Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), Universität Freiburg, Albertstr. 19, 79104 Freiburg (Germany).
Franziska
F
Scholz
Daniel
D
Himmel
Lea
L
Eisele
Wiebke
W
Unkrig
Ingo
I
Krossing
arene; carbocation; protonation; superacid; weakly coordinating anions