The reaction of British Anti-Lewisite (dimercaprol) with As(III), Sb(III), and Bi(III) oxides and salts

Abstract

The ,-dithiol 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (dimercaprol or British Anti-Lewisite, BAL) reacts with AsCl3 ,i n a1 :1 molar ratio, giving the expected cyclic adduct 1 but with As2O3 and with AsCl3, in 2:3 As/BAL molar ratios, gave gums composed of many compounds. BAL reacts with Sb2O3 in DMSO but the products could not be isolated. With SbCl3 two products 2 and 3 have been isolated in 1:1 and 2:3 Sb/BAL molar ratios. Bi2O3 in 1:1 and 2:3 molar ratios gave compounds 4 and 5. However, BiCl3 and Bi(NO3)3·5H2O in either 1:1 or 2:3 stoichiometries gave compounds 6 and 7, respectively, indicating that the >Bi-Cl and >Bi(NO3) bonds were not reactive towards excess BAL. The 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra of the Sb(III) and Bi(III) complexes in DMSO-d6 revealed broad signals attributed to the quadrupole relaxation of Sb and Bi nuclei. No relaxation was observed for the arsenic complex 1 in CD3OD. Other properties of the complexes are presented and discussed.