Stoichiometric and Catalytic Inter‐ and Intramolecular Hydroamination of Terminal Alkynes by Frustrated Lewis Pairs

Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) based on sterically encumbered anilines and the Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ were found to react with terminal alkynes effecting intermolecular hydroamination affording iminium alkynylborate species of the form [RPhN?C(R′)Me][R′CCB(C₆F₅)₃]. In these cases, the reagent ratio of borane, aniline, and alkyne is 1:1:2. These reactions could also be performed in an intramolecular fashion by using anilines with alkynyl substituents effecting cyclization reactions. The use of 10 mol % B(C₆F₅)₃ under a H₂ atmosphere provides a one‐pot synthesis of the pyrrolidine 12 , the piperidines 13 – 15 , the azepane 16 , the isoindoline 17 , and the benzoxazine 18 .     

Aluminium Diphosphamethanides: Hidden Frustrated Lewis Pairs

The synthesis and characterisation of two aluminium diphosphamethanide complexes, [Al(tBu)₂{κ²P,P′‐Mes*PCHPMes*}] ( 3 ) and [Al(C₆F₅)₂{κ²P,P′‐Mes*PCHPMes*}] ( 4 ), and the silylated analogue, Mes*PCHP(SiMe₃)Mes* ( 5 ), are reported. The aluminium complexes feature four‐membered PCPAl core structures consisting of diphosphaallyl ligands. The silylated phosphine 5 was found to be a valuable precursor for the synthesis of 4 as it cleanly reacts with the diaryl aluminium chloride [(C₆F₅)₂AlCl]₂. The aluminium complex 3 reacts with molecular dihydrogen at room temperature under formation of the acyclic σ²λ³,σ³λ³‐diphosphine Mes*PCHP(H)Mes* and the corresponding dialkyl aluminium hydride [tBu₂AlH]₃. Thus, 3 belongs to the family of so‐called hidden frustrated Lewis pairs.     

Atom‐Efficient Synthesis of Alkynylfluoroborates Using BF3‐Based Frustrated Lewis Pairs

A sterically demanding amine, 1,2,2,6,6‐pentamethylpiperidine (PMP), forms a highly reactive Lewis acid–base pair with boron trifluoride. This pair reacts with terminal acetylenes to give the products of C(sp)?H borylation, previously unknown tri‐ and tetraalkynylboron compounds. Trialkynylfluoroborates can serve as surrogates of alkynyltrifluoroborates for C?C coupling reactions. Using aqueous NaOH, PMP can be recovered from its tetrafluoroborate salt, which is formed as a C?H borylation byproduct. Combining the discovered borylation reactivity with the PMP recovery provides a straightforward and atom‐efficient approach to synthetically useful alkynylfluoroborates.     

α‐Hydroxymethylation of Pyridines at a Frustrated Lewis Pair Template

The “η²‐formylborane” moiety formed by CO reduction with HB(C₆F₅)₂ at a P/B frustrated Lewis pair template undergoes a hydroxymethylation reaction at the α‐position to nitrogen in pyridine or isoquinoline. The analogous reaction with pyrimidine revealed a mechanism related to the Tschitschibabin reaction.     

Carbene‐9‐BBN Ring Expansions as a Route to Intramolecular Frustrated Lewis Pairs for CO2 Reduction

Reactions of phosphine‐derived carbenes with 9‐borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9‐BBN) result in ring‐expansion reactions to generate novel intramolecular frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). These FLPs effect the catalytic reduction of CO₂ in the presence of boranes to give BOB and methoxy‐borate species.     

Frustrated Lewis Pair Chemistry of Chiral (+)‐Camphor‐Based Aminoboranes

Dimethylamino‐(+)‐camphorenamine reacted with an equimolar amount of Piers’ borane, HB(C₆F₅)₂, to give the corresponding iminium–hydroborate zwitterionic salt. Being in equilibrium with the parent enamine–HB(C₆F₅)₂ N–B pair, this salt was able to split hydrogen heterolytically, hydrogenating the iminium group in the molecule. Detailed studies revealed that the hydrogen splitting in this reaction proceeded through an intermolecular pathway leading to a bornylamine–HB(C₆F₅)₂ adduct. When the starting enamine is present in excess over HB(C₆F₅)₂, the produced bornylamine–HB(C₆F₅)₂ adduct breaks up, eliminating free bornylamine and forming the initial camphorenamine– HB(C₆F₅)₂ pair. This results in hydrogenation of the camphorenamine framework in a catalytic fashion.     

Trapping of Difluorocarbene by Frustrated Lewis Pairs

Frustrated Lewis pairs consisting of diphenylphosphino and boryl groups located at the ortho‐position can trap difluorocarbene affording stable zwitterionic adducts. The reaction can be reversed to release difluorocarbene at elevated temperatures.     

Perfluoroalkylation of Alkenes by Frustrated Lewis Pairs

The activation of perfluoroalkyl iodides by the frustrated Lewis pair tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and tri‐tert‐butylphosphine is described. By abstraction of both a fluorine and an iodine atom, an iodophosphonium fluoroborate salt is formed. In the presence of alkenes the corresponding iodoperfluoroalkylation products are generated regioselectively. First mechanistic investigations support a radical mechanism.     

N‐Methylacridinium Salts: Carbon Lewis Acids in Frustrated Lewis Pairs for σ‐Bond Activation and Catalytic Reductions

N‐methylacridinium salts are Lewis acids with high hydride ion affinity but low oxophilicity. The cation forms a Lewis adduct with 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)pyridine but a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) with the weaker base 2,6‐lutidine which activates H₂, even in the presence of H₂O. Anion effects dominate reactivity, with both solubility and rate of H₂ cleavage showing marked anion dependency. With the optimal anion, a N‐methylacridinium salt catalyzes the reductive transfer hydrogenation and hydrosilylation of aldimines through amine–boranes and silanes, respectively. Furthermore, the same salt is active for the catalytic dehydrosilylation of alcohols (primary, secondary, tertiary, and ArOH) by silanes with no observable over‐reduction to the alkanes.     

Activation of Carbon Dioxide by Silyl Triflate‐Based Frustrated Lewis Pairs

Silyl triflates of the form R_4?nSi(OTf)_n (n=1, 2; OTf=OSO₃CF₃) are shown to activate carbon dioxide when paired with bulky alkyl‐substituted Group 15 bases. Combinations of silyl triflates and 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine react with CO₂ to afford silyl carbamates via a frustrated Lewis pair‐type mechanism. With trialkylphosphines, the silyl triflates R₃Si(OTf) reversibly bind CO₂ affording [R′₃P(CO₂)SiR₃][OTf] whereas when Ph₂Si(OTf)₂ is used one or two molecules of CO₂ can be sequestered. The latter bis‐CO₂ product is favoured at low temperatures and by excess phosphine.     

Reactions of Diethylazo-Dicarboxylate with Frustrated Lewis Pairs

Reactions of PAr₃/B(C₆F₅)₃ (Ar=o-Tol, Mes, Ph) FLPs with diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) afford the corresponding FLP addition products 1 – 3 in which P−N and B−O linkages are formed. In contrast, the reaction of BPh₃, PPh₃ and DEAD gave product 4 where P−N and N−B linkages were confirmed. In all cases, other binding modes were computed to be both higher in energy and readily distinguishable by ³¹P and ¹¹B NMR parameters. These data illustrate the influence of steric demands and electronic structures on the nature of the products of FLP reactions with DEAD.     

Formation of Active Cyclic Five-membered Frustrated Phosphane/Borane Lewis Pairs and their Cycloaddition Reactions

The cyclic five-membered frustrated phosphane/borane Lewis pairs 11 a , b featuring the bulky octaethylhydrindacenyl- (Eind) substituent or its mono-bromo derivative (^BrEind) at phosphorus are monomeric at room temperature. The reactive frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) cleave dihydrogen. The cyclic FLP 11 b (^BrEind) undergoes 1,2-P/B addition to ethylene to give the zwitterionic heteronorbornane derivative 14 b . It reacts similarly with the carbon–carbon double bond of norbornene. With a variety of organic π-reagents, the cyclic FLP 11 b often undergoes reaction sequences reminiscent of the Alder–Rickert reaction: the cycloaddition reaction is followed by rapid cycloreversion to form new five-membered heterocyclic FLP products with extrusion of ethene. Reactions of 11 b with benzaldehyde or with acetylenes follow this reaction pattern.