Abstract
A dimethylxanthene-based phosphine/borane frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) is shown to effect reversible C−H activation, cleaving phenylacetylene, PhCCH, to give an equilibrium mixture of the free FLP and phosphonium acetylide in CD2Cl2 solution at room temperature. This system also reacts with B−H bonds although in a different fashion: reactions with HBpin and HBcat proceed via C−B/B−H metathesis, leading to replacement of the -B(C6F5)2 Lewis acid component by -Bpin/-Bcat, and transfer of HB(C6F5)2 to the phosphine Lewis base. This transformation underpins the ability of the FLP to catalyze the hydroboration of alkynes by HBpin: the active species is derived from the HB(C6F5)2 fragment generated in this exchange process.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 10531-10540 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Chemistry - A European Journal |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 41 |
| Early online date | 22 May 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Jul 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |