Inorganic-Salt-Free Reduction in Main-Group Chemistry: Synthesis of a Dibismuthene and a Distibene

A dibromobismuthine and a dibromostibine that bear 4-tBu-2,6-[CH­(SiMe3)2]2-C6H2 (Tbb) groups were reduced with 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-bis­(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-diaza-2,5-cyclohexadiene to afford the corresponding stable dibismuthene (TbbBiBiTbb) and the distibene (TbbSbSbTbb), respectively. The only byproducts obtained were easily removable tetramethylpyrazine and bromotrimethylsilane. Importantly, inorganic salts were not generated in this reduction: i.e., this is a unique inorganic-salt-free method for the synthesis of compounds with multiple bonds between heavier main-group elements.