Xanthate sulfur as a hydrogen bond acceptor: the free xanthate anion and ligand sulfur in nickel tris ethylxanthate

Single crystal X-ray diffraction data on the complex (CTA)[Ni(exa)3] reveals the tris O-ethylxanthate complex to act as a hydrogen bond acceptor through sulfur and oxygen. An N-H donor group resides on the counterion CTA (carbamoylmethyltrimethylammonium). The complex provides an excellent system for the study of N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds as a function of sulfur charge. A xanthate bearing a secondary amide was similarly characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It shows no evidence of N-H⋯S hydrogen bonding.