Boron(II) Cations: Interplay between Lewis‐Pair‐Acceptor and Electron‐Donor Properties

Boron(III) cations are widely used as highly Lewis acidic reagents in synthetic chemistry. In contrast, boron(II) cations are extremely rare and their chemistry almost completely unknown. They are both Lewis acids and electron donors, properties that are commonly associated with catalytically active late‐transition‐metal complexes. This double reactivity pattern ensures a rich and diverse chemistry. Herein we report the facile synthesis of several new boron(II) cations starting with a special diborane with two easily exchangeable triflate substituents. By increasing the π‐acceptor character of the neutral σ‐donor reaction partners, first reactions were developed in which the combined Lewis acidity and electron‐donor properties of boron(II) cations are applied for the reduction of organic molecules. The results of our study pave the way for applications of these unusual compounds in synthetic chemistry.     

The Chemistry of Amino Imino Boranes

Dicoordinated boron compounds can no longer be considered as “exotic” species in boron chemistry: this is proved by the extensive chemistry of bis(dialkylamino)boron(1+) ions, alkylidene boranes, and imino boranes. The latter are characterized by high reactivity and chemical versatility. A special position is taken by amino imino boranes, whose chemistry is reported here. The presence of an amino group enhances the reactivity of imino boranes on the one hand and increases their kinetic stability on the other. New types of diamino boranes accessible via amino imino boranes often undergo intramolecular ring closure. These heterocycles are well suited to generate new types of cations of boron. Cycloaddition reactions using amino imino boranes open up a new heterocyclic chemistry of boron. The chemistry of N-functional amino imino boranes, which is still its infancy, shows much promise.     

有机硼1,2-迁移化学概述

硼是一种重要的类金属元素,与人类生活息息相关。自从硼元素被引入到有机化合物中,化学家创造新物质的能力得到了革命性的提升。近年来,随着有机硼化学的蓬勃发展,该领域正在吸引越来越多的关注。本文重点介绍了硼元素的起源与结构,有机硼的1,2-迁移化学的特征及具体反应实例。     

Formation of an Isolable Divinylborinium Ion through Twofold 1,2‐Carboboration between a Diarylborinium Ion and Diphenylacetylene

Borinium ions, that is, two‐coordinate boron cations, are the most electron‐deficient isolable boron compounds. As borinium ions have only four formal valence electrons on boron, they should show a strong tendency to accept electron pairs on the boron atom to fill its valence shell. Thus chemical reactions of borinium ions are expected to give products in which the coordination number of boron is increased from two to three or four. However, contrary to this expectation, we found that the dimesitylborinium ion (Mes₂B⁺) undergoes twofold 1,2‐carboboration reactions with two equivalents of diphenylacetylene to yield an unprecedented borinium ion ( 1 ⁺) with two substituted vinyl groups on the boron center. NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis of 1 ⁺, together with electronic‐structure calculations, revealed that the positive charge is delocalized over the entire π‐conjugated system. The fact that the chemical transformation of a borinium ion gives rise to a different borinium ion without a change in the coordination number is remarkable and should provide new insight into the chemistry of the Group 13 elements.     

Competition between Halogen,Hydrogen and Dihydrogen Bonding in Brominated Carboranes

Halogen bonds are a subset of noncovalent interactions with rapidly expanding applications in materials and medicinal chemistry. While halogen bonding is well known in organic compounds, it is new in the field of boron cluster chemistry. We have synthesized and crystallized carboranes containing Br atoms in two different positions, namely, bound to C‐ and B‐vertices. The Br atoms bound to the C‐vertices have been found to form halogen bonds in the crystal structures. In contrast, Br atoms bound to B‐vertices formed hydrogen bonds. Quantum chemical calculations have revealed that halogen bonding in carboranes can be much stronger than in organic architectures. These findings open new possibilities for applications of carboranes, both in materials and medicinal chemistry.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Functionalization of 1‐Boraphenalenes

1‐Boraphenalenes have been synthesized by reaction of BBr₃ with 1‐(aryl‐ethynyl)naphthalenes, 1‐ethynylnaphthalene, and 1‐(pent‐1‐yn‐1‐yl)naphthalene and they can be selectively functionalized at boron or carbon to form bench‐stable products. All of these 1‐boraphenalenes have LUMOs localized on the planar C₁₂B core that are closely comparable in character to isoelectronic phenalenyl cations. In contrast to the comparable LUMOs, the aromatic stabilization of the C₅B ring in 1‐boraphenalenes is dramatically lower than the C₆ rings in phenalenyl cations. This is due to the occupied orbitals of π symmetry being less delocalised in the 1‐boraphenalenes.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Functionalization of 1‐Boraphenalenes

1‐Boraphenalenes have been synthesized by reaction of BBr₃ with 1‐(aryl‐ethynyl)naphthalenes, 1‐ethynylnaphthalene, and 1‐(pent‐1‐yn‐1‐yl)naphthalene and they can be selectively functionalized at boron or carbon to form bench‐stable products. All of these 1‐boraphenalenes have LUMOs localized on the planar C₁₂B core that are closely comparable in character to isoelectronic phenalenyl cations. In contrast to the comparable LUMOs, the aromatic stabilization of the C₅B ring in 1‐boraphenalenes is dramatically lower than the C₆ rings in phenalenyl cations. This is due to the occupied orbitals of π symmetry being less delocalised in the 1‐boraphenalenes.     

Boron Separation by the Two—step Ion—Exchange for the Isotopic Measurement of Boron

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(4+3) cycloaddition reactions of nitrogen-stabilized oxyallyl cations

The use of heteroatom-substituted oxyallyl cations in (4+3) cycloadditions has had a tremendous impact on the development of cycloaddition chemistry. Extensive efforts have been exerted toward investigating the effect of oxygen, sulfur, and halogen substituents on the reactivity of oxyallyl cations. Most recently, the use of nitrogen-stabilized oxyallyl cations has gained prominence in the area of (4+3) cycloadditions. The following article will provide an overview of this concept utilizing nitrogen-stabilized oxyallyl cations.     

Boron-Phosphorus Compounds and Multiple Bonding

Boron-phosphorus compounds have not been as thoroughly studied as their boron-nitrogen counterparts. Until recently many classes of B-P compounds that had been well established in B-N chemistry were either unknown or poorly characterized. This statement is particularly true for compounds involving possible multiple bonding between boron and phosphorus. For example, detailed structural information on simple monomeric phosphino-boranes, R₂BPR′₂, did not become available until 1986 even though the isoelectronic SiC double bonded species, the silenes, had already been reported. However, new work has shown that it is possible to prepare and characterize several novel types of boron-phosphorus compounds with varying degrees of multiple B—P bonding. These include not only monomeric phosphinoboranes but also phosphanediylborates (borylphosphides), three- and four-membered rings (diphosphadi-boretanes), boron phosphorus analogues of borazine, B-P skeletal analogues of allyl cations and anions, butadiene and cage compounds. Structural, spectroscopic (mainly NMR) and theoretical studies reveal some important differences between B-P and B-N compounds which in many cases can be traced to the presence of a high inversion barrier at phosphorus that reduces the π interaction. This usually causes compounds such as R₂BPR′₂ to associate through σ bonding between B and P. Supporting evidence for this view comes from species that involve phosphorus and nitrogen in competitive π bonding with a boron p orbital in which the dative interaction between B and N is dominant and the phosphorus center remains pyramidal. Recently published work has shown that steric and electronic factors can be used to favor π bonding and give an approximately planar system. Furthermore, theoretical studies reveal that p? p π overlap in a planar B-P system is of similar efficiency to its B-N analogue. Good examples are seen in the phosphanediyl borates, the boron-phosphorus analogues of borazine and the π-allyl cations, whose molecular configurations and B—P bond lengths support strong boron—phosphorus π bonding.     

Aromaticity of planar boron clusters confirmed

Low-energy boron clusters are characterized by two-dimensional geometry. Aromaticity of these planar boron clusters was established in terms of topological resonance energy (TRE). All planar boron clusters were found to be highly aromatic with large positive TREs even if they have 4n pi-electrons. Aromaticity must therefore be the origin of unusual planar or quasi-planar geometry. Thus, the aromaticity concept is as useful in boron chemistry as it is in general organic chemistry. It is evident that the Hückel 4n + 2 rule of aromaticity should not be applied to such polycyclic pi-systems. Some of the boron clusters are in the triplet electronic state to attain higher aromaticity. Multivalency and electron deficiency of boron atoms are responsible for lowering the energies of low-lying pi molecular orbitals and then for enhancing aromaticity. For polycyclic pi-systems, paratropicity does not always indicate antiaromaticity.     

Electron‐Deficient Triborane and Tetraborane Ring Compounds: Synthesis,Structure, and Bonding

Electron‐deficient small boron rings are unique in their formation of σ‐ and π‐delocalized electron systems as well as the avoidance of “classical” structures with two‐center‐two‐electron (2c,2e) bonds. These rings are tolerant of several skeletal electron numbers, which makes their redox chemistry highly interesting. In the past few decades, a range of stable compounds have been synthesized with various electron numbers in their B₃ and B₄ cores. The electronic structures were evaluated by quantum‐chemical calculations. On the other hand, the chemistry of these rings is still very much underdeveloped, being generally limited to the protonation and redox reactions of individual systems. The linkage of several B₃ and/or B₄ ring systems should give compounds with attractive electronic properties, thus leading the way to novel boron‐based materials. By summarizing important experimental and theoretical results, this Review intends to provide the basis for the exploration of the chemistry of these rings and, in particular, their integration into larger molecular architectures.     

Neutral-carrier-based ion-selective electrodes

Neutral-carrier-based ion-selective electrodes for the assay of alkali and alkaline earth metal cations have advanced to become the most frequently used potentiometric sensors in clinical chemistry. The major developments since the realization of the first potentiometric cell assemblies utilizing electrically neutral complexing agents (valinomycin and the macrotetrolides) in 1966 are presented.     

非金属元素的同素异形体(一)——氢和硼的同素异形体概述

进行了同素异形体概念的探讨。简要叙述了氢和硼2种典型非金属元素形成的各种同素异形体的存在、组成以及结构、制备和性质,首次将多种硼富勒烯、硼纳米管、硼单层平面等晶态硼的内容补充在硼的同素异形体中,并强调了计算化学对同素异形体的预测和现代科学技术发展对制备的作用及其在材料中的应用。     

Spectrophotometric Determination of Traces of Boron in High Purity Silicon

Abstract

A reddish brown complex is formed between boron and curcumin in concentrated sulphuric acid and glacial acetic acid mixture (1:1). the coloured complex is highly selective and stable for about 3 hours and has the maximum absorbance at 545 nm. the sensitivity of the method is extremely high and the detection limit is 3 parts per billion based on 0.004 absorbance value. the interference of some of the important cations and anions relevant to silicon were studied and it is found that 100 fold excess of most of these cations and anions do not interfere in the determination of boron. the method is successfully employed for the determination of boron in silicon used in semiconductor devices. the results have been verified by standard addition method.     

Amorphous feather-like boron nanowires

Large-scale arrays of feather-like boron nanowires have been successfully prepared using magnetron sputtering with a target of highly pure boron and boron oxide mixture. The morphology, microstructure and composition of the feather-like boron nanowires are characterized in detail using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Elemental mapping has been used to investigate the distribution of boron and oxygen in the boron nanowires. It is revealed that the feather-like boron nanowires possess the microstructure of outer oxidized coating layer and inner pure boron. The thickness of the outer oxidized layer is about 1–2 nm. Our results may provide opportunities to understand the fundamentals of boron chemistry and to fabricate new nanodevices.     

Encapsulation, release and applications of LbL polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules

Ever since their invention in 1998, polyelectrolyte multilayer micro- and nano-capsules have impacted various areas of biology, chemistry and physics. Here we highlight progress achieved since the millennium in the areas of encapsulation in and release from microcapsules, describe various structures including multicompartment and anisotropic constructs, and provide examples of several applications in biology. We also describe application areas such as drug delivery, intracellular trafficking, enzyme-catalyzed reactions, mechano-biology which benefited from recent developments in the area of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules.     

硼-锗骨架无机微孔材料研究进展

作为潜在的新型功能材料，硼-锗骨架微孔化合物近年来得到科学家的普遍关注。本文从结构化学的角度，分别讨论了硼酸盐、锗酸盐及硼锗酸盐研究体系，并对其中的典型结构进行了描述、归类与总结；针对硼、锗易成簇聚集的特点，探讨了硼-锗骨架无机微孔化合物研究的发展趋势。     

The First Synthesis of Subporphyrins

Because of the rich coordination chemistry and unique optical and electrochemical properties, porphyrin analogues have been intensively investigated. Among them, subporphyrins have been long-awaited molecules, with only their boron complexes known to date because of the crucial role of the central boron atom as a template in synthesis. The challenges related to the synthesis of a genuine subporphyrin (boron-free) have finally been met and reported in a recent article from Kim, Osuka, and Song. A key strategy of their synthesis lies in the introduction of an exocyclic double bond at the meso-position and subsequent reduction to obtain macrocyclic conjugation. Considering the fact that the development of porphyrin chemistry is ultimately linked to the availability of free base porphyrins, this seminal work will facilitate studies on coordination chemistry and applications in materials science.     

Interaction of nitrate, barium, strontium and cadmium ions with fused quartz/water interfaces studied by second harmonic generation

Inorganic anions and cations are ubiquitous in environmental chemistry. Here, we use second harmonic generation to track the interaction of the environmentally important metal cations barium, strontium, and cadmium and the nitrate anion with fused quartz/water interfaces at pH 7. Using a dynamic flow system, we assess the extent of reversibility in the binding process and report the absolute number density of adsorbed cations, their charge densities, and their free energies of adsorption. We also present resonantly enhanced second harmonic generation experiments that show that nitrate is surface active and report the free energies and binding constants for the adsorption process. The second harmonic generation spectrum of surface-bound nitrate shows a new adsorption band that cuts further into the solar spectrum than nitrate in the aqueous or solid state. The results that we obtain for all four inorganic ions and the implications for tropospheric and aquatic chemistry as well as geochemistry are discussed in the context of fundamental science as well as pollutant transport models.