Manganese-Mediated Hydride Delivery to a Borazine by Stepwise Reduction and Protonation

CO2 reduction with protons and electrons at a boron-based reaction center

Borohydrides are widely used reducing agents in chemical synthesis and have emerging energy applications as hydrogen storage materials and reagents for the reduction of CO2. Unfortunately, the high energy cost associated with the multistep preparation of borohydrides starting from alkali metals precludes large scale implementation of these latter uses. One potential solution to this issue is the direct synthesis of borohydrides from the protonation of reduced boron compounds. We herein report reactions of the redox series [Au(B2P2)] n (n = +1, 0, -1) (B2P2, 9,10-bis(2-(diisopropylphosphino)phenyl)-9,10-dihydroboranthrene) and their conversion into corresponding mono- and diborohydride complexes. Crucially, the monoborohydride can be accessed via protonation of [Au(B2P2)]-, a masked borane dianion equivalent accessible at relatively mild potentials (-2.05 V vs. Fc/Fc+). This species reduces CO2 to produce the corresponding formate complex. Cleavage of the formate complex can be achieved by reduction (ca. -1.7 V vs. Fc/Fc+) or by the addition of electrophiles including H+. Additionally, direct reaction of [Au(B2P2)]- with CO2 results in reductive disproportion to release CO and generate a carbonate complex. Together, these reactions constitute a synthetic cycle for CO2 reduction at a boron-based reaction center that proceeds through a B-H unit generated via protonation of a reduced borane with weak organic acids.

Recyclable Trifluoromethylation Reagents from Fluoroform

We present a strategy to rationally prepare CF₃^- transfer reagents at ambient temperature from HCF_3. We demonstrate that a highly reactive CF₃^- adduct can be synthesized from alkali metal hydride, HCF₃, and borazine Lewis acids in quantitative yield at room temperature. These nucleophilic reagents transfer CF₃^- to substrates without additional chemical activation, and after CF₃ transfer, the free borazine is quantitatively regenerated. These features enable syntheses of popular nucleophilic, radical, and electrophilic trifluoromethylation reagents with complete recycling of the borazine Lewis acid.

Discovery of low energy pathways to metal-mediated B[double bond, length as m-dash]N bond reduction guided by computation and experiment

This manuscript describes a combination of DFT calculations and experiments to assess the reduction of borazines (B-N heterocycles) by η6-coordination to Cr(CO)3 or [Mn(CO)3]+ fragments. The energy requirements for borazine reduction are established as well as the extent to which coordination of borazine to a transition metal influences hydride affinity, basicity, and subsequent reduction steps at the coordinated borazine molecule. Borazine binding to M(CO)3 fragments decreases the thermodynamic hydricity by >30 kcal mol-1, allowing it to easily accept a hydride. These hydricity criteria were used to guide the selection of appropriate reagents for borazine dearomatization. Reduction was achieved with an H2-derived hydride source, and importantly, a pathway which proceeds through a single electron reduction and H-atom transfer reaction, mediated by anthraquinone was uncovered. The latter transformation was also carried out electrochemically, at relatively positive potentials by comparison to all prior reports, thus establishing an important proof of concept for any future electrochemical B[double bond, length as m-dash]N bond reduction.

Probing the second dehydrogenation step in ammonia-borane dehydrocoupling: characterization and reactivity of the key intermediate, B-(cyclotriborazanyl)amine-borane

While thermolysis of ammonia-borane (AB) affords a mixture of aminoborane- and iminoborane oligomers, the most selective metal-based catalysts afford exclusively cyclic iminoborane trimer (borazine) and its B-N cross-linked oligomers (polyborazylene). This catalysed dehydrogenation sequence proceeds through a branched cyclic aminoborane oligomer assigned previously as trimeric B-(cyclodiborazanyl)amine-borane (BCDB). Herein we utilize multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography to show instead that this key intermediate is actually tetrameric B-(cyclotriborazanyl)amine-borane (BCTB) and a method is presented for its selective synthesis from AB. The reactivity of BCTB upon thermal treatment as well as catalytic dehydrogenation is studied and discussed with regard to facilitating the second dehydrogenation step in AB dehydrocoupling.

Molybdenum catalyzed ammonia borane dehydrogenation: oxidation state specific mechanisms

Though numerous catalysts for the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) are known, those that release >2 equiv of H2 are uncommon. Herein, we report the synthesis of Mo complexes supported by a para-terphenyl diphosphine ligand, 1, displaying metal-arene interactions. Both a Mo(0) N2 complex, 5, and a Mo(II) bis(acetonitrile) complex, 4, exhibit high levels of AB dehydrogenation, releasing over 2.0 equiv of H2. The reaction rate, extent of dehydrogenation, and reaction mechanism vary as a function of the precatalyst oxidation state. Several Mo hydrides (Mo(II)(H)2, [Mo(II)(H)](+), and [Mo(IV)(H)3](+)) relevant to AB chemistry were characterized.