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We demonstrate that, in analogy to transition-metal carbene chemistry, [(OC)5Mo[double bond, length as m-dash]BN(SiMe3)2] facilitates intermolecular transfer of the borylene [:BN(SiMe3)2], which ultimately undergoes insertion into C-H bonds under very mild conditions. The one-pot multiple functionalization of the cyclopentadienyl rings of tungstenocene dihydride is demonstrated using this approach.

The industrial reduction of dinitrogen (N

The study of main-group molecules that behave and react similarly to transition-metal (TM) complexes has attracted significant interest in recent decades. Most notably, the attractive idea of replacing the all-too-often rare and costly metals from catalysis has motivated efforts to develop main-group-element-mediated reactions. Main-group elements, however, lack the electronic flexibility of TM complexes that arises from combinations of empty and filled d orbitals and that seem ideally suited to bind and activate many substrates. In this review, we look at boron, an element that despite its nonmetal nature, low atomic weight, and relative redox staticity has achieved great milestones in terms of TM-like reactivity. We show how in interelement cooperative systems, diboron molecules, and hypovalent complexes the fifth element can acquire a truly metallomimetic character. As we discuss, this character is powerfully demonstrated by the reactivity of boron-based molecules with H2, CO, alkynes, alkenes and even with N2.

We report the selective insertion of a range of borylene fragments into the E-E bonds (E = S, Se, Te) of cyclic boron dichalcogenides. This method provides facile synthetic access to a variety of symmetrical and unsymmetrical four- and five-membered rings.

Boron learns to give back to nitrogen Although diatomic nitrogen is famously inert, a variety of transition metals can bind to it through a process termed backbonding. As the nitrogen weakly shares its own electrons, some electrons from the metal reach back out to it. Nonmetals would not seem to have the capacity for this type of bonding, but now Légaré et al. show that conventionally electron-deficient boron can be coaxed into it (see the Perspective by Broere and Holland). The authors treated boron-based precursors with potassium under a nitrogen atmosphere to produce several compounds with sandwiched dinitrogen between two boron centers in reduced motifs reminiscent of metal complexes. Science , this issue p. 896 ; see also p. 871

The base-stabilized borylene [Cp(OC)2 Mn=BtBu(IMe)] readily reacts with elemental chalcogens in an insertion reaction that yields borachalcone complexes [Cp(OC)2 Mn-E=BtBu(IMe)] (E=S, Se, Te). The tellurium example features the first double bond between boron and tellurium, making Te the heaviest main-group element to make multiple bonds with boron. This unprecedented interaction has been fully investigated both experimentally and computationally.

Das basenstabilisierte Borylen [Cp(OC)2Mn=BtBu(IMe)] reagiert direkt mit elementaren Chalkogenen in einer Insertionsreaktion unter Bildung von Borachalkonkomplexen [Cp(OC)2Mn-E=BtBu(IMe)] (E=S, Se, Te). Die Tellurverbindung enthalt hierbei die erste charakterisierte Doppelbindung zwischen den Elementen Bor und Tellur. Des Weiteren ist Tellur das bislang schwerste Hauptgruppenelement, von dem eine Mehrfachbindung mit Bor bekannt ist. Diese beispiellose Wechselwirkung wurde durch theoretische und experimentelle Studien vollstandig untersucht.

Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivatives are among the most efficient materials studied for both polymer solar cells (PSCs) and organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) applications. We report here the synthesis of new fluorinated dithienyldiketopyrrolopyrrole (fDT-DPP) monomers suitable for direct heteroarylation polymerization. fDT-DPP copolymers were then prepared to probe the effect of the fluorination. It was found that they feature deeper HOMO energy levels and smaller bandgaps than their non-fluorinated analogues. Moreover, some fDT-DPP copolymers show ambipolar behavior when tested in OFETs. For example, P2 shows hole mobility up to 0.8 cm2 V–1 s–1 and electron mobility up to 0.5 cm2 V–1 s–1. Inverted PSCs with power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 7.5% were also obtained for P5. These results reported here (OFETs and PSCs) confirm that the fluorination of dithienyl-DPP moieties improves the performance of organic electronics devices. This study is also evidencing the strength of the direct hetero...

The incorporation of fluorine atoms along the conjugated polymer backbone is an effective strategy to tune the electro-optical properties of donor–acceptor based copolymers. We report here an efficient way to synthesize and purify new mono-fluorinated thiophene derivatives for the synthesis of fluorinated dithienobenzothiadiazole (DTBT) comonomers. It was observed that the reactivity and regioselectivity of the direct (hetero)arylation polymerization (DHAP) were modified upon the amount and the positioning of the fluorine atoms on the DTBT moiety. Indeed, the polymerization time went from 66 h (for non-fluorinated DTBT, M1) to only 11 min (for tetra-fluorinated DTBT, M2). In addition to enhanced reactivity, the degree of fluorination of the flanking thiophene of the DTBT moiety also modulates the electro-optical properties, lowering both the bandgap and stabilizing the ionization energy level. Indeed, P1 (with non-fluorinated flanking thiophene) has a bandgap of 1.73 eV and an ionization energy (IE) of 4....

This account describes our work on the use of ambiphilic molecules as catalysts for the reduction of carbon dioxide. Starting with the discovery that aluminum ambiphilic species (Me 2 PCH 2 AlMe 2 ) 2 ( 1 ) and Al(C 6 H 4 -PPh 2 ) 3 ( 5 ) could coordinate CO 2 but showed significant instability, we found that phosphinoborane Ph 2 P-2-Bcat-C 6 H 4 ( 7 ) was an exceptional catalyst for the hydroboration of CO 2 to methoxyboranes, molecules that can be readily hydrolyzed to methanol. A mechanistic investigation allowed us to outline the similarities between the catalytic activity of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) and that of transition metal complexes. We were able to extrapolate four important guidelines, described in this account, for the conception of efficient metal-free catalysts. We demonstrate that using these concepts, it was possible to rationally design FLP catalysts for the C-H borylation of heteroarenes.

Heterodiatomic multiple bonds have never been observed within Group 13. Herein, we disclose a method that generates [(CAAC)PhB=AlCp

The carbon monoxide adduct of an unhindered and highly reactive CAAC-bound arylborylene, [(CAAC)B(CO)Ar] (CAAC = cyclic (alkyl) (amino)carbene), has been prepared using a transfer reaction from the linear iron borylene complex [(PMe3) (CO)3Fe=BAr]. [(CAAC)B(CO)Ar] is a source of the dicoordinate [(CAAC)ArB:] borylene that can be liberated by selective photolytic CO extrusion and that, although highly reactive, is sufficiently long-lived to react intermolecularly. Through trapping of the borylene generated in this manner, we present, among others, the first metal-free borylene(I) species containing a nitrogen-based donor, as well as a new boron-containing radical.

New phosphine-based ligands and DFT calculations for defect-free conjugated polymers by direct (hetero)arylation polymerization (DHAP)., Direct (hetero)arylation polymerization (DHAP) has emerged as a valuable and atom-economical alternative to traditional cross-coupling methods for the synthesis of low-cost and efficient conjugated polymers for organic electronics. However, when applied to the synthesis of certain (hetero)arene-based materials, a lack of C–H bond selectivity has been observed. To prevent such undesirable side-reactions, we report the design and synthesis of new, bulky, phosphine-based ligands that significantly enhance selectivity of the DHAP process for both halogenated and non-halogenated electron-rich and electron-deficient thiophene-based comonomers. To better understand the selectivity issues, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed on various halogenated and non-halogenated electron-rich and electron-deficient thiophene-based comonomers. Calculations showed that the presence of bromine atoms decreases the energy of activation (E a) of the adjacent C–H bonds, allowing undesirable β-defects for some brominated aromatic units. Both calculations and the new ligands should lead to the rational design of monomers and methods for the preparation of defect-free conjugated polymers from DHAP.

Osmium anionic complexes, K[(PMe3)Os(CO)3(SiR3)] (R = Me, Et), were synthesized by deprotonation of the corresponding metal hydrides. The nucleophilicity of these compounds was demonstrated through the reaction of K[(PMe3)Os(CO)3(SiMe3)] with Cl2BDur and Br2BDur (Dur = 2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenyl) to give haloboryl complexes through a salt elimination process that is unprecedented for osmium–boron chemistry.

Boron brings nitrogen together Whereas carbon is prone to making chains, nitrogen usually sticks to itself just once in the particularly stable form of N 2 . Légaré et al. now show that boron can coax two N 2 molecules together under reductive conditions below room temperature. Two borylene units sandwiched the resulting N 4 chain between them. Science , this issue p. 1329

The FLP species bis(2-(TMP)phenyl)chloroborane (TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine)(1) was prepared and crystallized as a monomeric Frustrated Lewis Pair (FLP) displaying no apparent B-N interaction. Species 1 readily reacts with H2 at room temperature to generate reversibly the zwitterionic H2 activation product 2. Interestingly, in the presence of a base, 2 releases HCl, generating the novel FLP species 3 which is also monomeric.

A metal-free catalyst born of frustration Boron (a Lewis acid) and nitrogen or phosphorus fragments (both Lewis bases) tend to pair up. Keeping them separated on opposite ends of the same molecule creates a “frustrated” Lewis pair. Such molecules can manifest powerful reactivity, such as scission of the hydrogen-hydrogen bond in H 2 . Légaré et al. now extend this reactivity to the cleavage of carbon-hydrogen bonds in heteroaromatic compounds such as furans and pyrroles (see the Perspective by Bose and Marder). Their frustrated Lewis pair complex catalyzed borylation of these compounds. The selectivity pattern of the reaction complemented that seen with the metal catalysts conventionally used. Science , this issue p. 513 ; see also p. 473

With the intent of generating metallocavitands isostructural to species [(CpZr)3(μ(3)-O)(μ(2)-OH)3(κO,O,μ(2)-O2C(R))3](+), the reaction of Cp*2ZrCl2 and Cp*ZrCl3 with phenylcarboxylic acids was carried out. Depending on the reaction conditions, five new complexes were obtained, which consisted of Cp*2ZrCl(κ(2)-OOCPh) (1), (Cp*ZrCl(κ(2)-OOCPh))2(μ-κ(2)-OOCPh)2 (2), [(Cp*Zr(κ(2)-OOCPh))2(μ-κ(2)-OOCPh)2(μ(2)-OH)2]·Et2O (3·Et2O), [[Cp*ZrCl2](μ-Cl)(μ-OH)(μ-O2CC6H5)[Cp*Zr]]2(μ-O2CC6H5)2 (4), and [Cp*ZrCl4][(Cp*Zr)3(κ2-OOC(C6H4Br)3(μ3-O)(μ2-Cl)2(μ2-OH)] [5](+)[Cp*ZrCl4](-). The structural characterization of the five complexes was carried out. Species 3·Et2O exhibits host-guest properties where the diethyl ether molecule is included in a cavity formed by two carboxylate moieties. The secondary interactions between the cavity and the diethyl ether molecule affect the structural parameters of the complex, as demonstrated be the comparison of the density functional theory models for 3 and 3·Et2O. Species 5 was shown to be isostructural to the [(CpZr)3(μ(3)-O)(μ(2)-OH)3(κO,O,μ(2)-O2C(R))3](+) metallocavitands.

Ambiphilic phosphine–borane derivatives 1-B(OR)2-2-PR′2–C6H4 (R′ = Ph (1), iPr (2); (OR)2 = (OMe)2 (1a, 2a); catechol (1b, 2b) pinacol (1c, 2c), −OCH2C(CH3)2CH2O– (1d)) were tested as catalysts for the hydroboration of CO2 using HBcat or BH3·SMe2 to generate methoxyboranes. It was shown that the most active species were the catechol derivatives 1b and 2b. In the presence of HBcat, without CO2, ambiphilic species 1a, 1c, and 1d were shown to transform to 1b, whereas 2a and 2c were shown to transform to 2b. The formaldehyde adducts 1b·CH2O and 2b·CH2O are postulated to be the active catalysts in the reduction of CO2 rather than being simple resting states. Isotope labeling experiments and density functional theory (DFT) studies show that once the formaldehyde adduct is generated, the CH2O moiety remains on the ambiphilic system through catalysis. Species 2b·CH2O was shown to exhibit turnover frequencies for the CO2 reduction using BH3·SMe2 up to 228 h–1 at ambient temperature and up to 873 h–1 at 70 °C, mir...

The FLP species 1-BR2-2-NMe2-C6H4 (R = 2,4,6-Me3C6H21, 2,4,5-Me3C6H22) reacts with H2 in sequential hydrogen activation and protodeborylation reactions to give (1-BH2-2-NMe2-C6H4)23. While 1 reacts with H2/CO2 to give formyl, acetal and methoxy-derivatives, 2 reacts with H2/CO2 to give C6H4(NMe2)(B(2,4,5-Me3C6H2)O)2CH24. The mechanism of CO2 reduction is considered.

The full mechanism of the hydroboration of CO2 by the highly active ambiphilic organocatalyst 1-Bcat-2-PPh2–C6H4 (Bcat = catecholboryl) was determined using computational and experimental methods. The intramolecular Lewis pair was shown to be involved in every step of the stepwise reduction. In contrast to traditional frustrated Lewis pair systems, the lack of steric hindrance around the Lewis basic fragment allows activation of the reducing agent while moderate Lewis acidity/basicity at the active centers promotes catalysis by releasing the reduction products. Simultaneous activation of both the reducing agent and carbon dioxide is the key to efficient catalysis in every reduction step.

The synthesis and characterization of novel bulky mesitylboratabenzene ligands have been achieved. The isolated boracyclohexadienes 6a,b were found to be extremely stable and could be selectively desilylated by hydrolysis. These ligands have been successfully coordinated to Fe(II) and Cr(II). The selective desilylation of the boratabenzene ring was also observed in the iron complexes, thus furnishing three ironboratabenzene sandwich complexes without a SiMe3 group (11) and with one (10) and two (12) SiMe3 groups. Interestingly, species 11 represents the first structurally characterized bis(boratabenzene) metallic species not exhibiting the expected trans geometry.

Heterodiatomic multiple bonds have never been observed within Group 13. Herein, we disclose a method that generates [(CAAC)PhB=AlCp3t ] (1), a complex featuring π bonding between boron and aluminum through the association of singlet fragments. We present the properties of this multiple bond as well as the reactivity of the complex with carbon dioxide, which yields a boron CO complex via an unusual metathesis reaction.

Metal-free systems, including frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) have been shown to bind CO2. By reducing the Lewis acidity and basicity of the ambiphilic system, it is possible to generate active catalysts for the deoxygenative hydroboration of carbon dioxide to methanol derivatives with conversion rates comparable to those of transition-metal-based catalysts.

The hydroboration of carbon dioxide into methoxyboranes by borane-dimethylsulfide using different base catalysts is described. A non-nucleophilic proton sponge is found to be the most active catalyst, with TOF reaching 64 h(-1) at 80 °C, and is acting via the activation of BH3·SMe2 into a boronium-borohydride ion pair.

The ambiphilic species Al(C6H4(o-PPh2))3 (2) was synthesized and fully characterized, notably using X-ray diffraction. Species 2 exhibits pseudo-bipyramidal-trigonal geometry caused by the two Al–P interactions. 2 reacts with CO2 to generate a CO2 adduct commonly observed in the activation of CO2 using frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). This ambiphilic species serves as a precatalyst for the reduction of CO2 in the presence of catecholborane (HBcat) to generate CH3OBcat, which can be readily hydrolyzed in methanol. The reaction mixture confirms that, in the presence of HBcat, 2 generates the known CO2 reduction catalyst 1-Bcat-2-PPh2-C6H4 (1) and intractable catecholate aluminum species. It was, however, possible to isolate a single crystal of Al(κ2O,O-(MeO)2Bcat)3 (5) supporting this hypothesis. Also, a borane-protected analogue of 2, Al(C6H4(o-PPh2·BH3))3 (4), does not react with catecholborane, suggesting the influence of the pendant phosphines in the transformation of 2 into 1.

Sterically hindered, in situ generated 1,3,4-substituted 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene mesoionic carbenes (MICs) were employed to stabilize a number of aryl- and heteroaryldihaloboranes, as well as the first MIC-supported diborane. Reduction of borane adducts of the 1-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3-methyl-4-tert-butyl-1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene ligand with KC8 in non-coordinating solvents led to intramolecular C−H- and, C−C-activation at an isopropyl residue of the supporting ligand. DFT calculations showed that each of these activation reactions proceeds via a different isomer of a borylene intermediate.

While the organotrifluoroborate group is commonly used as a leaving group in cross-coupling reactions, we now show that their high stability can be used to protect the Lewis acidic moieties of frustrated Lewis pair catalysts. Indeed, the air and moisture-stable trifluoro- and difluoroborate derivatives of bulky (tetramethylpiperidino)benzene are shown to be conveniently converted to their dihydroborane analogue which is known to activate small molecules. An efficient synthesis route to these stable and convenient precatalysts, their deprotection chemistry and their benchtop use for the dehydrogenative borylation of heteroarenes is presented.

While the organotrifluoroborate group is commonly used as a leaving group in cross-coupling reactions, we now show that their high stability can be used to protect the Lewis acidic moieties of frustrated Lewis pair catalysts. Indeed, the air and moisture-stable trifluoro- and difluoroborate derivatives of bulky (tetramethylpiperidino)benzene are shown to be conveniently converted to their dihydroborane analogue which is known to activate small molecules. An efficient synthesis route to these stable and convenient precatalysts, their deprotection chemistry and their benchtop use for the dehydrogenative borylation of heteroarenes is presented.

Transition metal complexes are efficient catalysts for the C-H bond functionalization of heteroarenes to generate useful products for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. However, the costly need to remove potentially toxic trace metals from the end products has prompted great interest in developing metal-free catalysts that can mimic metallic systems. We demonstrated that the borane (1-TMP-2-BH2-C6H4)2 (TMP, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine) can activate the C-H bonds of heteroarenes and catalyze the borylation of furans, pyrroles, and electron-rich thiophenes. The selectivities complement those observed with most transition metal catalysts reported for this transformation.

Transition metal complexes are efficient catalysts for the C-H bond functionalization of heteroarenes to generate useful products for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. However, the costly need to remove potentially toxic trace metals from the end products has prompted great interest in developing metal-free catalysts that can mimic metallic systems. We demonstrated that the borane (1-TMP-2-BH2-C6H4)2 (TMP, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine) can activate the C-H bonds of heteroarenes and catalyze the borylation of furans, pyrroles, and electron-rich thiophenes. The selectivities complement those observed with most transition metal catalysts reported for this transformation.

Phosphazene superbases are efficient organocatalysts for the metal-free catalytic hydrosilylation of carbon dioxide. They react with CO2 to form the respective phosphine oxides, but in the presence of hydrosilanes, CO2 can be selectively reduced to silyl formates, which can in turn be reduced to methoxysilanes by addition of an extra loading of silanes. Activities reach a TOF of 32 h(-1) with a TON of 759. It is also shown that unexpectedly, N,N-dimethylformamide can reduce CO2 to a mixture of silyl formates, acetals and methoxides in the absence of any catalyst.

International audience; The bonding properties of borabenzene with various neutral Lewis bases have been investigated. 1-Chloro-4-isopropyl-2-(trimethylsilyl)-2,4-boracyclohexadiene reacts with a number of Lewis bases—notably pyridine, PMe3, PCy3, and PPh3—to afford 4-isopropylborabenzene–base adducts. These adducts can undergo ligand exchange to afford new borabenzene complexes. The scope and mechanism of the reaction, as well as the steric and electronic properties of different adducts, were studied experimentally and computationally.

The full mechanism of the hydroboration of CO2 by the highly active ambiphilic organocatalyst 1-Bcat-2-PPh2-C6H4 (Bcat = catecholboryl) was determined using computational and experimental methods. The intramolecular Lewis pair was shown to be involved in every step of the stepwise reduction. In contrast to traditional frustrated Lewis pair systems, the lack of steric hindrance around the Lewis basic fragment allows activation of the reducing agent while moderate Lewis acidity/basicity at the active centers promotes catalysis by releasing the reduction products. Simultaneous activation of both the reducing agent and carbon dioxide is the key to efficient catalysis in every reduction step.

Metal-free systems, including frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) have been shown to bind CO2. By reducing the Lewis acidity and basicity of the ambiphilic system, it is possible to generate active catalysts for the deoxygenative hydroboration of carbon dioxide to methanol derivatives with conversion rates comparable to those of transition-metal-based catalysts.

In this work, we report that organocatalyst 1-Bcat-2-PPh2–C6H4 ((1); cat = catechol) acts as an ambiphilic metal-free system for the reduction of carbon dioxide in presence of hydroboranes (HBR2 = HBcat (catecholborane), HBpin (pinacolborane), 9-BBN (9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane), BH3·SMe2 and BH3·THF) to generate CH3OBR2 or (CH3OBO)3, products that can be readily hydrolyzed to methanol. The yields can be as high as 99% with exclusive formation of CH3OBR2 or (CH3OBO)3 with TON (turnover numbers) and TOF (turnover frequencies) reaching >2950 and 853 h–1, respectively. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibits “living” behavior: once the first loading is consumed, it resumes its activity on adding another loading of reagents.

Complex [(IMes)(2)Pt(H)(ClBC(5)H(4)SiMe(3))] (IMes = 1,3-di(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) reacts with Lewis bases (L = pyridine, trimethylphosphine, acetonitrile, tert-butylisocyanide) to generate the kinetically favoured ion pairs [(IMes)(2)Pt(H)(L)][ClBC(5)H(4)SiMe(3)]. Over time, the formation of the thermodynamically favoured borabenzene-L adducts is observed with L = pyridine and trimethylphosphine.

2,2'-Bipyridyl is shown to spontaneously abstract a borylene fragment (R-B:) from various hypovalent boron compounds. This process is a redox reaction in which the bipyridine is reduced and becomes a dianionic substituent bound to boron through its two nitrogen atoms. Various transition metal-borylene complexes and diboranes, as a well as a diborene, take part in this reaction. In the latter case, our results show an intriguing example of the homolytic cleavage of a B═B double bond.