Syntheses and structural characterizations of anionic borane-capped ammonia borane oligomers: evidence for ammonia borane H2 release via a base-promoted anionic dehydropolymerization mechanism

Studies of the activating effect of Verkade's base, 2,8,9-triisobutyl-2,5,8,9-tetraaza-1-phosphabicyclo3.3.3]undecane (VB), on the rate and extent of H(2) release from ammonia borane (AB) have led to the syntheses and structural characterizations of three anionic aminoborane chain-growth products that provide direct support for anionic dehydropolymerization mechanistic steps in the initial stages of base-promoted AB H(2) release reactions. The salt VBH(+)H(3)BNH(2)BH(2)NH(2)BH(3)](-) (1) containing a linear five-membered anionic aminoborane chain was produced in 74% yield via the room-temperature reaction of a 3:1 AB/VB mixture in fluorobenzene solvent, while the branched and linear-chain seven-membered anionic aminoborane oligomers VBH(+)HB(NH(2)BH(3))(3)](-) (2a) and VBH(+)H(3)BNH(2)BH(2)NH(2)BH(2)NH(2)BH(3)](-) (2b) were obtained from VB/AB reactions carried out at 50 °C for 5 days when the AB/VB ratio was increased to 4:1. X-ray crystal structure determinations confirmed that these compounds are the isoelectronic and isostructural analogues of the hydrocarbons n-pentane, 3-ethylpentane, and n-heptane, respectively. The structural determinations also revealed significant interionic B-H···H-N dihydrogen-bonding interactions in these anions that could enhance dehydrocoupling chain-growth reactions. Such mechanistic pathways for AB H(2) release, involving the initial formation of the previously known H(3)BNH(2)BH(3)](-) anion followed by sequential dehydrocoupling of B-H and H-N groups of growing borane-capped aminoborane anions with AB, are supported by the fact that 1 was observed to react with an additional AB equivalent to form 2a and 2b.