Reactivity of Platinum Iminoboryl Complexes toward Covalent Element−Hydrogen Bonds of Opposing Polarity

Cyclic (Alkyl)(Amino)Carbene-Iminoboryl Compounds with Three Formal Oxidation States

BN/CC isosterism is an effective strategy to build hybrid functional molecules with unique properties. In contrast to the alkynyl iminium salts derived from cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAACs) that feature only one reversible reduction wave, the isoelectronic cationic CAAC-iminoboryl adducts could be singly and doubly reduced smoothly. Both the resultant neutral radical and anionic azaborataallenes bear NBC-mixed allenic structures. The former radical has a high spin-density of 0.55e at CCAAC carbon, yet exhibits formal boron-centered radical reactivity. The latter azaborataallenes feature the nucleophilic CCAAC center and polar N(δ-)═B(δ+)═C(δ-) unit, and readily undergo nucleophilic substitution, isocyanide insertion, dipolar addition and cycloaddition reactions etc. The N-substituents have been shown to have a significant influence on the solid-state structure, thermal stability, and reactivity of azaborataallenes. This work showcases the allenic BN-unsaturated species as versatile building blocks in organic synthesis.

BN Analogue of Butadiyne: A Platform for Dinitrogen Release and Reduction

Exploration of the metallomimetic chemistry of main group elements is of the utmost importance from the perspective of both fundamental research and potential applications. Here, we report the synthesis, bonding analysis, and reactivities of an isolable diiminoborane, Mes*B≡N─N≡BMes* (Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) (1), a BN analogue of butadiyne. This species is characterized by a conjugated B≡N─N≡B moiety, a structural feature that enables the controlled release of N2 when it is exposed to organic nitriles. Furthermore, the N2 unit in 1 could be reduced to an ammonium salt via cleavage of the BN triple bond. Our work shows a rare example of an unsaturated BN system, serving as a platform for both the release and reduction of N2. This discovery opens new pathways and holds substantial influence on the future design of functional main group N2 species.

Synthesis of Iminoboryl o-Carboranes by Lewis Base Promoted Aminoborirane-to-Iminoborane Isomerization

The iminoboryl o-carboranes (Me₃Si)-Cb-B≡N-R (Cb = B₁₀C₂H₁₀, 3a, R = SiMe₃; 3b, R = ^tBu) have been successfully synthesized by tetrahydrofuran (THF)-promoted isomerization from the corresponding o-carborane-fused aminoboriranes Cb{BN(SiMe₃)R} (2). The synthetic protocol of the previously reported borirane 2a was optimized. The borirane Cb{BN(SiMe₃)^tBu} (2b) and the iminoboranes 3a and 3b were fully characterized by NMR, IR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The borirane 2a isomerizes more readily than 2b. The kinetics study revealed a bimolecular mechanism between borirane and THF, which is in good agreement with the computationally proposed reaction pathway. The title compounds are thermally robust, but compound 3a dimerized in the presence of a catalytic amount of ^tBuNC to give the cyclodimer 4. Quick equilibrium between 4 and the isonitrile adduct 4·^tBuNC was observed in solution.

Boraiminolithium: An Iminoborane-Transfer Reagent

BN/CC isosterism can give rise to attractive molecules with unique physical or chemical properties. We report here the synthesis, characterization, and reactivities of the boraiminolithium species 2, a room-temperature-stable crystalline solid accessible through a facile dehydrohalogenation/deprotonation reaction. This species, bearing a polarized B≡N triple bond and an anionic N center, is the first example of a BN analogue to the well-known alkynyllithium molecules (lithium acetylides). It has demonstrated a remarkable ability for iminoborane-transfer reactions, which allows for the isolation of a series of unprecedented N-functionalized iminoboranes as well as novel main-group heterocycles. Stable boraiminolithium reagents may become powerful tools in the exploration of new BN-containing building blocks for synthetic chemistry and materials science.

Iminoborylene complexes: evaluation of synthetic routes towards BN-allenylidenes and unexpected reactivity towards carbodiimides

The iminoborylene complex [CpFe(PCy₃)(CO)(BNCMes₂)]⁺ undergoes MB metathesis reactivity with carbodiimides, resulting in FeB cleavage and the formation of isonitrile complexes.

1,2-Halosilane vs. 1,2-alkylborane elimination from (boryl)(silyl) complexes of iron: switching between borylenes and silylenes just by changing the alkyl group

The results present a new elimination reaction, the 1,2-alkylborane elimination, as a new route to silylene complexes.

B═B and B≡E (E = N and o) multiple bonds in the coordination sphere of late transition metals

Because of their unusual structural and bonding motifs, multiply bonded boron compounds are fundamentally important to chemists, leading to enormous research interest. To access these compounds, researchers have introduced sterically demanding ligands that provide kinetic as well as electronic stability. A conceptually different approach to the synthesis of such compounds involves the use of an electron-rich, coordinatively unsaturated transition metal fragment. To isolate the plethora of borane, boryl, and borylene complexes, chemists have also used the coordination sphere of transition metals to stabilize reactive motifs in these molecules. In this Account, we summarize our results showing that increasingly synthetically challenging targets such as iminoboryl (B≡N), oxoboryl (B≡O), and diborene (B═B) fragments can be stabilized in the coordination sphere of late transition metals. This journey began with the isolation of two new iminoboryl ligands trans-[(Cy3P)2(Br)M(B≡N(SiMe3))] (M = Pd, Pt) attached to palladium and platinum fragments. The synthesis involved oxidative addition of the B-Br bond in (Me3Si)2N═BBr2 to [M(PCy3)2] (M = Pt, Pd) and the subsequent elimination of Me3SiBr at room temperature. Variation of the metal, the metal-bound coligands, and the substituent at the nitrogen atom afforded a series of analogous iminoboryl complexes. Following the same synthetic strategy, we also synthesized the first oxoboryl complex trans-[(Cy3P)2BrPt(BO)]. The labile bromide ligand adjacent to platinum makes the complex a viable candidate for further substitution reactions, which led to a number of new oxoboryl complexes. In addition to allowing us to isolate these fundamental compounds, the synthetic strategy is very convenient and minimizes byproducts. We also discuss the reaction chemistry of these types of compounds. In addition to facilitating the isolation of compounds with B≡E (E = N, O) triple bonds, the platinum fragment can also stabilize a diborene (RB═BR) moiety, a bonding motif that thus far had only been accessible when stabilized by N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). In the new π-diborene [(Et3P)2Pt(B2Dur2)] (Dur = 2,3,5,6-Me4-C6H) complex, the diborene ligand receives electron density from Pt, leading to a strong Pt-B bond and a B═B bond. We attribute this result to the very short B═B bond distance (1.51(2) Å) while coordinated to platinum. Overall, an increasing number of chemists are examining the chemistry of multiply bound boron compounds. The isolation of an oxoboryl complex is of special interest not only from a structural standpoint but also because of its orbital similarities to the ubiquitous CO ligand. Detailed computational studies of the π-diborene complex [(Et3P)2Pt(B2Dur2)] show that the bonding properties of this molecule violate the widely accepted Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson (DCD) bonding model.