Synthesis and Reaction of Unsymmetrical Tetraarylbismuthonium Salts. First Isolation of Bismuthonium Salts Bearing All Different Aryl Groups

Successive treatment of triarylbismuth difluorides (1) with a Lewis acid, Me3SiCN, and aryltributylstannanes (2) in CH2Cl2 gives unsymmetrical tetraarylbismuthonium salts (3) in moderate to good yield. The migratory aptitude of an aryl ligand in [Ph3ArBi+][BF4−] (3a, b) in the C-arylation of 2-naphthol is Ph>p-Tol>p-Ans.