Hydrogen-bonded cocrystals have attracted considerable attention as they allow fine-tuning of properties through the choice of hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors. In this study, triphenylarsine oxide (Ph3AsO) is introduced as a strong hydrogen-bond acceptor molecule. Due to its higher Lewis basicity compared to triphenylphosphine oxide (Ph3PO), it acts as a strong hydrogen-bond acceptor, which is demonstrated in six new cocrystals with H2O2 and gem-di(hydroperoxy)cycloalkanes. All cocrystals formed large, high-quality single crystals, which were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. The cocrystal of Ph3AsO with H2O2 shows prolonged stability without loss of oxidative power. In addition, the newly formed interactions were also present in solution and were detected by NMR spectroscopy. The higher electron-donating ability of Ph3AsO compared to Ph3PO was confirmed by competition experiments. Ph3AsO exclusively binds H2O2, even in dilute aqueous solutions and in the presence of Ph3PO. This study expands the range of hydrogen-bond acceptors and demonstrates that Ph3AsO is a useful cocrystallizing tool in crystal engineering and a sensitive marker for hydrogen peroxide.
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