Dipole moments and structure of organophosphine and organoarsine compounds

The formal charge distributions in and the dipole moments of some organophosphines and arsines have been calculated, and the dipole moments of (p-chlorophenyl)dichlorophosphine (2.28 D) and (p-bromophenyl)dichlorophosphine (2.04 D) have been determined in benzene at 35° C. The differences between the observed and the calculated moments are explained in terms of dπ---pπ back-bonding and hyperconjugative effects in alkylhaloarsines. The mesomeric effects operating in the aromatic systems are evaluated by comparing the moments with those for the corresponding aliphatic systems. In unsaturated compounds the differences are attributed to mesomeric effects involving the expansion of arsenic valence shell.