Kinetic stabilization of low valent main group compounds

Highly reactive species, such as cations and radicals, are often proposed as intermediates in reaction mechanisms. The stabilization and isolation of such species is an ongoing challenge in chemistry. In this work a plethora of bis-substituted meta-terphenyl element compounds of group 13, 15 and 16 were synthesized and the first kinetically stabilized indinium ion (2,6-Mes2C6H3)2In+ as a 4 valence electron species, the first kinetically stabilized stibenium and bismuthenium ion (2,6-Mes2C6H3)2E+ (E = Sb, Bi) as 6 valence electron species and the first kinetically stabilized tellurenyl radical cation (2,6-Mes2C6H3)2Te*+ as a 7 valence electron species were successfully synthesized and fully characterized, opening a new area of compound classes.