Preparation and Characterization of the First Organosulfonium Azides

The first triorganosulfonium azides [Me 3 S]N 3 and [Ph 3 S]N 3 were prepared by reaction of the corresponding sulfonium bromides/iodides with silver azide and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The molecular structure of [Ph 3 S]N 3 as well as that of the precursor, [Ph 3 S]Br, have been determined by X-ray diffraction.