Preparation and X‑ray Structural Study of Dibenziodolium Derivatives

New experimental procedures for the preparation of dibenziodolium salts by oxidative cyclization of 2-iodobiphenyl in the presence of appropriate strong acids are described. Particularly useful is a convenient one-pot synthesis of dibenziodolium hydrogen sulfate from 2-iodobiphenyl using Oxone as an inexpensive and environmentally safe oxidant. Dibenziodolium hydrogen sulfate, bis­(triflyl)­imidate, or triflate can be readily converted to various other dibenziodolium derivatives (chloride, bromide, thiocyanate, azide, cyanide, phenylsulfinate) by anion exchange. Structures of key products have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Particularly interesting is the X-ray structure of dibenziodolium thiocyanate, which represents the first example of a structurally characterized hypervalent iodine compound with a relatively short iodine–sulfur secondary bond distance.