Thermochemistry of amineborane adduct formation of pyridine and picoline isomers

The enthalpy of reaction of pyridine, 2-, 3-, and 4-picoline with BH₃·THF and the enthalpy of solution of the same amines in THF were determined by reaction-solution calorimetry. From these data, the enthalpies of formation of the corresponding amineborane adducts in solution of THF were also determined. The results can be explained by considering the steric and inductive effects of the methyl group on the pyridine ring and the basicity of amines. The enthalpy of formation of the adducts in solution of THF correlates well with the available literature values of pK_a of amines also determined in THF, and the influence of the solvent on the basicity features of studied amines is verified.