Lewis Acid Coordination Redirects S-Nitrosothiol Signaling Output

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) serve as air-stable reservoirs for nitric oxide in biology. While copper enzymes promote NO release from RSNOs by serving as Lewis acids for intramolecular electron-transfer, redox-innocent Lewis acids separate these two functions to reveal the effect of coordination on structure and reactivity. The synthetic Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ coordinates to the RSNO oxygen atom, leading to profound changes in the RSNO electronic structure and reactivity. Although RSNOs possess relatively negative reduction potentials, B(C₆F₅)₃ coordination increases their reduction potential by over 1 V into the physiologically accessible +0.1 V vs. NHE. Outer-sphere chemical reduction gives the Lewis acid stabilized hyponitrite dianion trans-[LA-O-N=N-O-LA]²⁻ [LA=B(C₆F₅)₃], which releases N₂O upon acidification. Mechanistic and computational studies support initial reduction to the [RSNO-B(C₆F₅)₃] radical anion, which is susceptible to N−N coupling prior to loss of RSSR.     

A Combined “Electrochemical–Frustrated Lewis Pair” Approach to Hydrogen Activation: Surface Catalytic Effects at Platinum Electrodes

Herein, we extend our “combined electrochemical–frustrated Lewis pair” approach to include Pt electrode surfaces for the first time. We found that the voltammetric response of an electrochemical–frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) system involving the B(C₆F₅)₃/[HB(C₆F₅)₃]^? redox couple exhibits a strong surface electrocatalytic effect at Pt electrodes. Using a combination of kinetic competition studies in the presence of a H atom scavenger, 6‐bromohexene, and by changing the steric bulk of the Lewis acid borane catalyst from B(C₆F₅)₃ to B(C₆Cl₅)₃, the mechanism of electrochemical–FLP reactions on Pt surfaces was shown to be dominated by hydrogen‐atom transfer (HAT) between Pt, [Pt?H] adatoms and transient [HB(C₆F₅)₃] ^? electrooxidation intermediates. These findings provide further insight into this new area of combining electrochemical and FLP reactions, and proffers additional avenues for exploration beyond energy generation, such as in electrosynthesis.     

Lewis Acid Coordination Redirects S‐Nitrosothiol Signaling Output

S‐Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) serve as air‐stable reservoirs for nitric oxide in biology. While copper enzymes promote NO release from RSNOs by serving as Lewis acids for intramolecular electron‐transfer, redox‐innocent Lewis acids separate these two functions to reveal the effect of coordination on structure and reactivity. The synthetic Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ coordinates to the RSNO oxygen atom, leading to profound changes in the RSNO electronic structure and reactivity. Although RSNOs possess relatively negative reduction potentials, B(C₆F₅)₃ coordination increases their reduction potential by over 1 V into the physiologically accessible +0.1 V vs. NHE. Outer‐sphere chemical reduction gives the Lewis acid stabilized hyponitrite dianion trans‐[LA‐O‐N=N‐O‐LA]^2? [LA=B(C₆F₅)₃], which releases N₂O upon acidification. Mechanistic and computational studies support initial reduction to the [RSNO‐B(C₆F₅)₃] radical anion, which is susceptible to N?N coupling prior to loss of RSSR.     

B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation of Imines and Related Heteroarenes Using Cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes as a Dihydrogen Source

The strong boron Lewis acid tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, B(C₆F₅)₃, is shown to abstract a hydride from suitably donor‐substituted cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes, eventually releasing dihydrogen. This process is coupled with the FLP‐type (FLP=frustrated Lewis pair) hydrogenation of imines and nitrogen‐containing heteroarenes that are catalyzed by the same Lewis acid. The net reaction is a B(C₆F₅)₃‐catalyzed, i.e., transition‐metal‐free, transfer hydrogenation using easy‐to‐access cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes as reducing agents. Competing reaction pathways with or without the involvement of free dihydrogen are discussed.     

Borohydrides from Organic Hydrides: Reactions of Hantzsch’s Esters with B(C6F5)3

We report herein that the reaction between a series of Hantzsch’s ester analogues 1 a – d with the Lewis acidic species B(C₆F₅)₃ results in facile transfer of hydride to boron. The main products of this reaction are pyridinium borohydride salts 2 a – d , which are obtained in high to moderate yields. The N‐substituted substrates (N‐Me, N‐Ph) reacted in high yield 90–98 % and the connectivity of the products were confirmed by an X‐ray crystallographic analysis of the N‐Me borohydride salt 2 a . Unsubstituted Hanztsch’s ester 1 a reacted less effectively generating only 60 % of the corresponding borohydride salt, with the balance of the material sequestered as the ester‐bound Lewis acid–base adduct 3 a . Formation of the Lewis acid–base adduct could be minimized by increasing the steric bulk about the ester groups as in 1 d . The connectivity of the carbonyl‐bound adduct was confirmed by an X‐ray crystallographic analysis of 3 e the product of the reaction of methyl ketone 1 e with B(C₆F₅)₃. We also explored the generation of these pyridinium salts by employing frustrated Lewis pair methodology. However, the reaction of mixtures of the corresponding pyridine and B(C₆F₅)₃ with hydrogen gas only resulted in formation of trace amounts of the pyridinium borohydride, along with the Lewis acid–base adduct of the starting material and B(C₆F₅)₃. The 1,2‐dihydropyridine adduct was the final product of this reaction. This was ascribed to the low basicity of the pyridine nitrogen and the complicating formation of an ester bound Lewis acid–base adduct.     

Borane Adducts of Hydrazoic Acid and Organic Azides: Intermediates for the Formation of Aminoboranes

The reaction of HN₃ with the strong Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ led to the formation of a very labile HN₃?B(C₆F₅)₃ adduct, which decomposed to an aminoborane, H(C₆F₅)NB(C₆F₅)₂, above ?20 °C with release of molecular nitrogen and simultaneous migration of a C₆F₅ group from boron to the nitrogen atom. The intermediary formation of azide–borane adducts with B(C₆F₅)₃ was also demonstrated for a series of organic azides, RN₃ (R=Me₃Si, Ph, 3,5‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃), which also underwent Staudinger‐like decomposition along with C₆F₅ group migration. In accord with experiment, computations revealed rather small barriers towards nitrogen release for these highly labile azide adducts for all organic substituents except R=Me₃Si (m.p. 120 °C, T_dec=189 °C). Hydrolysis of the aminoboranes provided C₆F₅‐substituted amines, HN(R)(C₆F₅), in good yields.     

Developing Phospha‐Stork Chemistry Induced by a Borane Lewis Acid

Bulky vinyl phosphanes undergo carbon–carbon coupling with aryl aldehydes with the help of the Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ to give isolable methylene phosphonium products. Dimesityl(vinyl)phosphane undergoes a phospha‐Stork reaction with bulky enones efficiently catalyzed by B(C₆F₅)₃ to eventually yield the corresponding substituted cyclobutane products.     

The B(C6F5)3 Boron Lewis Acid Route to Arene‐Annulated Pentalenes

4,5‐Dimethyl‐1,2‐bis(1‐naphthylethynyl)benzene ( 12 ) undergoes a rapid multiple ring‐closure reaction upon treatment with the strong boron Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ to yield the multiply annulated, planar conjugated π‐system 13 (50 % yield). In the course of this reaction, a C₆F₅ group was transferred from boron to carbon. Treatment of 12 with CH₃B(C₆F₅)₂ proceeded similarly, giving a mixture of 13 (C₆F₅‐transfer) and the product 15 , which was formed by CH₃‐group transfer. 1,2‐Bis(phenylethynyl)benzene ( 8 a ) reacts similarly with CH₃B(C₆F₅)₂ to yield a mixture of the respective C₆F₅‐ and CH₃‐substituted dibenzopentalenes 10 a and 16 . The reaction is thought to proceed through zwitterionic intermediates that exhibit vinyl cation reactivities. Some B(C₆F₅)₃‐substituted species ( 26 , 27 ) consequently formed by in situ deprotonation upon treatment of the respective 1,2‐bis(alkynyl)benzene starting materials ( 24 , 8 ) with the frustrated Lewis pair B(C₆F₅)₃/P(o‐tolyl)₃. The overall formation of the C₆F₅‐substituted products formally require HB(C₆F₅)₂ cleavage in an intermediate dehydroboration step. This was confirmed in the reaction of a thienylethynyl‐containing starting material 21 with B(C₆F₅)₃, which gave the respective annulated pentalene product 23 that had the HB(C₆F₅)₂ moiety 1,4‐added to its thiophene ring. Compounds 12 – 14 , 23 , and 26 were characterized by X‐ray diffraction.     

A Silylene–Borane Lewis Pair as a Tool for Trapping a Water Molecule: Silanol Formation and Dehydrogenation

The Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ and the cyclic silane (Ar^N₂Si)₃ ( 1 ) (Ar^N=o-(CH₃)₂NCH₂C₆H₄) are useful precursors to access the silylene(II)–borane adduct Ar^N₂Si-B(C₆F₅)₃ ( 2 ). Treatment of 2 with water led to coordination and gave the Lewis pair (Ar^N₂H₂O)Si-B(C₆F₅)₃ ( 3 ) that exhibits a hydrogen-bond-stabilized silanol unit. It can be converted into the siloxane [(HAr^N)₂SiOB(C₆F₅)₃]₂O ( 6 ) by dehydrogenation in the presence of a base. Heteronuclear NMR spectroscopic data to characterize the compounds were supported by quantum-chemical calculations.     

Planar Chiral Organoborane Lewis Acids Derived from Naphthylferrocene

Enantiomerically pure metalated 2‐(1‐naphthyl)ferrocene (NpFc) derivatives NpFcM (M=SnMe₃, HgCl) were prepared and characterized by multinuclear NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and elemental analysis. Optical rotation measurements were performed and the absolute configuration of the new planar chiral ferrocene species was confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. The mercuriated species NpFcHgCl proved suitable as a reagent for the preparation of the chiral organoborane Lewis acid NpFcBCl₂, which can in turn be converted to other ferrocenylboranes by replacement of Cl with nucleophiles. The highly Lewis acidic perfluoroarylborane derivatives NpFcB(C₆F₅)Cl and NpFcB(C₆F₅)₂ were successfully prepared by treatment with CuC₆F₅. The structures were studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and variable‐temperature ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy, which suggested that π stacking of a C₆F₅ group on boron with the adjacent naphthyl group is energetically favorable. UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry measurements were performed to examine the electronic properties of these novel redox‐active chiral Lewis acids.     

Accessing Frustrated Lewis Pair Chemistry from a Spectroscopically Stable and Classical Lewis Acid‐Base Adduct

B(C₆F₅)₃ and P(MeNCH₂CH₂)₃N form a classical Lewis adduct, (C₆F₅)₃BP(MeNCH₂CH₂)₃N. Although (C₆F₅)₃BP(MeNCH₂CH₂)₃N does not exhibit spectroscopic evidence of dissociation into its constituent acid and base, products of frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) addition reactions are seen with PhNCO, PhCH₂N₃, PhNSO, and CO₂. Computational studies show that thermal access to the dissociated acid and base permits FLP reactivity to proceed. These results demonstrate that FLP reactivity extends across the entire continuum of equilibria governing Lewis acid‐base adducts.     

Modulated Luminescence of a Stable Open‐Shell Triarylmethyl Radical: Effects of Chemical Modification on Its Electronic Structure and Physical Properties

The open‐shell luminescent (3,5‐dichloro‐4‐pyridyl)bis(2,4,6‐trichlorophenyl)methyl (PyBTM) radical contains a nitrogen atom that behaves as a stimulus‐responsive site. Chemical modification at this nitrogen atom, such as coordination of B(C₆F₅)₃ or methylation, shifts the emission maximum to the low‐energy region and increases the reduction potential. The emission colour may be regulated by the reversible Lewis acid–base reaction between B(C₆F₅)₃ and PyBTM. Comparison of the optical and electrochemical properties of the radicals with the electronic structures calculated by density functional theory has indicated that the chemical modification decreased the energy level of the β‐singly occupied molecular orbital, a key orbital in determining the optical and electrochemical properties of such systems.     

Lewis Acidity of Carbon in Activated Carbonyl Group vs. B(C6F5)3 for Metal-Free Catalysis of Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds

In this work, using DFT calculations, we investigated Lewis acidities of carbon (in activated carbonyl group) in comparison to the B(C₆F₅)₃ in combination with dioxane as the Lewis base (LB) for metal-free catalysis of heterolytic H₂ splitting and hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds. We found that in case of carbon as the Lewis acid (LA) the reaction is controlled by frontier molecular orbital interactions between the H₂ and LA-LB fragments at shorter distances. The steric effects can be reduced by electrophilic substitutions on the carbonyl carbon. Synergic combination between stronger orbital interactions and reduced steric effects can lower the barrier of the H₂ splitting below 10 kcal/mol. With the B(C₆F₅)₃, the H₂ splitting is controlled by electrostatic interactions, which cause to form an early transition state. An advantage of employing Lewis acidity of the activated carbonyl carbon for hydrogenation is that the hydride-type attack and hydrogenation of the C=O bond occur in a single step throughout H₂ splitting. Hence, stronger Lewis acidity of the C(C=O) reinforces hydrogenation without prohibition of the hydride delivery.     

Stoichiometric and Catalytic C−C and C−H Bond Formation with B(C6F5)3 via Cationic Intermediates

This work showcases a new catalytic cyclization reaction using a highly Lewis acidic borane with concomitant C−H or C−C bond formation. The activation of alkyne‐containing substrates with B(C₆F₅)₃ enabled the first catalytic intramolecular cyclizations of carboxylic acid substrates using this Lewis acid. In addition, intramolecular cyclizations of esters enable C−C bond formation as catalytic B(C₆F₅)₃ can be used to effect formal 1,5‐alkyl migrations from the ester functional groups to unsaturated carbon–carbon frameworks. This metal‐free method was used for the catalytic formation of complex dihydropyrones and isocoumarins in very good yields under relatively mild conditions with excellent atom efficiency.     

Bulky Polyfluorinated Terphenyldiphenylboranes: Water Tolerant Lewis Acids

Protocols for the synthesis of the bulky polyfluorinated triarylboranes 2,6-(C₆F₅)₂C₆F₃B(C₆F₅)₂ ( 1 ), 2,6-(C₆F₅)₂C₆F₃B[3,5-(CF₃)₂C₆H₃] ( 2 ), 2,4,6-(C₆F₅)₃C₆H₂B(C₆F₅)₂ ( 3 ), 2,4,6-(C₆F₅)₃C₆H₂B[3,5-(CF₃)₂C₆H₃] ( 4 ) were developed. All boranes are water tolerant and according to the Gutmann-Beckett method, 1 – 3 display Lewis acidities larger than that of the prominent B(C₆F₅)₃.     

Probing the Charge Transfer in a Frustrated Lewis Pair by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations

A classical Lewis adduct derives from a covalent bond between a Lewis acid and a base. When the adduct formation is precluded by means of steric hindrance the association of the respective acid-base molecular system is defined as a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP). In this work, the archetypal FLP Mes₃P/B(C₆F₅)₃ was characterized for the first time by resonance Raman spectroscopy, and the results were supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The charge transfer nature of the lowest energy electronic transition, from phosphine to borane, was confirmed by the selective enhancement of the Raman bands associated to the FLP chromophore at resonance condition. Herein, we demonstrate the use of resonance Raman spectroscopy as a distinguished technique to probe the weak interaction involved in FLP chemistry.     

Catalytic Regioselective Isomerization of 2,2-Disubstituted Oxetanes to Homoallylic Alcohols

The selective isomerization of strained heterocyclic compounds is an important tool in organic synthesis. An unprecedented regioselective isomerization of 2,2-disubstituted oxetanes into homoallylic alcohols is described. The use of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C₆F₅)₃)_, a commercially available Lewis acid was key to obtaining good yields and selectivities since other Lewis acids afforded mixtures of isomers and substantial polymerization. The reaction took place under exceptionally mild reaction conditions and very low catalyst loading (0.5 mol %). DFT calculations disclose the mechanistic features of the isomerization and account for the high selectivity displayed by the B(C₆F₅)₃ catalyst. The synthetic applicability of the new reaction is demonstrated by the preparation of γ-chiral alcohols using iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.     

Catalytic Regioselective Isomerization of 2,2‐Disubstituted Oxetanes to Homoallylic Alcohols

The selective isomerization of strained heterocyclic compounds is an important tool in organic synthesis. An unprecedented regioselective isomerization of 2,2‐disubstituted oxetanes into homoallylic alcohols is described. The use of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C₆F₅)₃)_, a commercially available Lewis acid was key to obtaining good yields and selectivities since other Lewis acids afforded mixtures of isomers and substantial polymerization. The reaction took place under exceptionally mild reaction conditions and very low catalyst loading (0.5 mol %). DFT calculations disclose the mechanistic features of the isomerization and account for the high selectivity displayed by the B(C₆F₅)₃ catalyst. The synthetic applicability of the new reaction is demonstrated by the preparation of γ‐chiral alcohols using iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Application of Two Al(ORF)3 Lewis Superacids

We report herein the synthesis and full characterization of the donor‐free Lewis superacids Al(OR^F)₃ with OR^F=OC(CF₃)₃ ( 1 ) and OC(C₅F₁₀)C₆F₅ ( 2 ), the stabilization of 1 as adducts with the very weak Lewis bases PhF, 1,2‐F₂C₆H₄, and SO₂, as well as the internal C? F activation pathway of 1 leading to Al₂(F)(OR^F)₅ ( 4 ) and trimeric [FAl(OR^F)₂]₃ ( 5 , OR^F=OC(CF₃)₃). Insights have been gained from NMR studies, single‐crystal structure determinations, and DFT calculations. The usefulness of these Lewis acids for halide abstractions has been demonstrated by reactions with trityl chloride (NMR; crystal structures). The trityl salts allow the introduction of new, heteroleptic weakly coordinating [Cl‐Al(OR^F)₃]^? anions, for example, by hydride or alkyl abstraction reactions.