On the Use of Amine–Borane Complexes To Synthesize Iron Nanoparticles

The effectiveness of amine–borane as reducing agent for the synthesis of iron nanoparticles has been investigated. Large (2–4 nm) Fe nanoparticles were obtained from [Fe{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂]. Inclusion of boron in the nanoparticles is clearly evidenced by extended X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and Mössbauer spectrometry. Furthermore, the reactivity of amine–borane and amino–borane complexes in the presence of pure Fe nanoparticles has been investigated. Dihydrogen evolution was observed in both cases, which suggests the potential of Fe nanoparticles to promote the release of dihydrogen from amine–borane and amino–borane moieties.     

Effect of borane source on the enantioselectivity in the enantiopure oxazaborolidine‐catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction of ketones

The effect of borane source on enantioselectivity in the enantiopure oxazaborolidine‐catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction of ketones has been investigated by using (S)‐3,1,2‐oxazaborobicyclo[3.3.0]octane and (S)‐7,3,1,2‐thiaxazaborobicyclo[3.3.0]octane as catalysts. The results indicate that the enantioselective order of different borane sources is borane–dimethyl sulfide < borane–N,N‐diethylaniline < borane–THF for the asymmetric reduction of a ketone under the same conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 18:740–746, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20370     

Reaktionen von Sauerstoff- bzw. Schwefel-Heterocyclen mit Natrium und Dichlor(diisopropylamino)boran

Reactions of Oxygen- and Sulfur-Heterocycles with Sodium and Dichloro(diisopropylamino)borane Thiophene reacts with sodium and dichloro(diisopropylamino)borane to give 2,4-Bis-(diisopropylamino)-1,3,2,4-dithiadiboretane ( a ). In the reactions of dibenzothiophene, dibenzofurane, and xanthene, resp., with sodium and dichloro(diisopropylamino)borane one side of the hetero-bridge is split. Thus one obtains the amino(phenylthio)borane 1 and the amino(phenoxy)- boranes 2 and 3 . The compounds are characterized analytically and spectroscopically (MS; NMR: ¹H, ¹¹B, ¹³C).     

Quantum chemical study on enantioselective reduction of aromatic ketones catalyzed by chiral cyclic sulfur‐containing oxazaborolidines. Part 1. Structures and properties of catalysts

The ab initio molecular orbital method is employed to study the structures and properties of chiral cyclic sulfur‐containing oxazaborolidine, as a catalyst, and its borane adducts. All the structures are optimized completely by means of the Hartree–Fock method at 6‐31g* basis sets. The catalyst is a twisted chair structure and reacts with borane to form four plausible catalyst–borane adducts. Borane–sulfur adducts may be formed, but they barely react with aromatic ketone to form catalyst–borane–ketone adducts, because they are repulsed greatly by the atoms arising from the chair rear of the catalyst with a twisted chair structure. Borane–N adduct has the largest formation energy and is predicted to react easily with aromatic ketone to form catalyst–borane–ketone adducts. The formation of the catalyst–borane adducts causes the B_BH3 H_BH3 bond lengths of the BH₃ moiety to be increased and thus enhances the activity of the enantioselective catalytic reduction. The borane–N adduct is of great advantage to hydride transfer. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 78: 245–251, 2000     

The stereochemistry of aziridine borane lithiation: diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity

Lithiation of 1-methylaziridine borane, 1-(tert-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl)aziridine borane, or 1-(tert-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl)-2-methylaziridine borane occurs syn to the boron substituent, while lithiation of 1-(tert-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl)-2-trimethylstannylaziridine borane occurs anti to boron as well as silicon due to the steric effect of trimethylsilyl group (s-butyllithium was used in all cases). Kinetically controlled lithiation in the first three cases results from a combination of steric and electrostatic effects. Enantioselective lithiation occurs in the presence of (−)-sparteine, with product enantioselectivities near 70% ee.     

Asymmetric synthesis of P-stereogenic o-hydroxyaryl-phosphine (borane) and phosphine-phosphinite ligands

The first asymmetric synthesis of P-stereogenic 2-hydroxyarylphosphine ligands is described, using borane complexation methodology. This synthesis is based on the highly stereoselective preparation of bromoarylphosphinite boranes, leading to the 2-hydroxyarylphosphine derivatives, by an intramolecular ortho Fries-like rearrangement mediated in basic conditions. The o-anisyl-2-hydroxynaphthylphenylphosphine borane has been decomplexed in EtOH, affording the P(III)-stereogenic hydroxyarylphosphine ligand with 84% yield. The interest of the hydroxyarylphosphine borane is also demonstrated by the preparation of a new class of phosphine-phosphinite ligands, by trapping the rearrangement products first with chlorodiphenylphosphine, Ph₂PCl, then with borane. The corresponding phosphine-phosphinites are obtained and purified as diborane complexes, with the decomplexation of these borane complexes being achieved by heating with dabco, to afford the free hybrid ligands with retention of the configuration at the P-atom (isolated yield up to 53%).     

“Activated Borane” – A Porous Borane Cluster Network as an Effective Adsorbent for Removing Organic Pollutants

The unprecedented co-thermolysis of decaborane(14) (nido-B₁₀H₁₄) and toluene results in a novel porous material (that we have named “activated borane”) containing micropores between 1.0 and 1.5 nm in diameter and a specific surface area of 774 m² g⁻¹ (Ar, 87 K) that is thermally stable up to 1000 °C. Solid state ¹H, ¹¹B and ¹³C MAS NMR, UV-vis and IR spectroscopies suggest an amorphous structure of borane clusters interconnected by toluene moieties in a ratio of about three toluene molecules for every borane cluster. In addition, the structure contains Lewis-acidic tri-coordinated boron sites giving it some unique properties. Activated borane displays high sorption capacity for pollutants such as sulfamethoxazole, tramadol, diclofenac and bisphenol A that exceed the capacity of commercially-available activated carbon. The consistency in properties for each batch made, and the ease of its synthesis, make activated borane a promising porous material worthy of broad attention.     

Towards the design of novel boron‐ and nitrogen‐substituted ammonia‐borane and bifunctional arene ruthenium catalysts for hydrogen storage

Electronic‐structure density functional theory calculations have been performed to construct the potential energy surface for H₂ release from ammonia‐borane, with a novel bifunctional cationic ruthenium catalyst based on the sterically bulky β‐diketiminato ligand (Schreiber et al., ACS Catal. 2012, 2, 2505). The focus is on identifying both a suitable substitution pattern for ammonia‐borane optimized for chemical hydrogen storage and allowing for low‐energy dehydrogenation. The interaction of ammonia‐borane, and related substituted ammonia‐boranes, with a bifunctional η⁶‐arene ruthenium catalyst and associated variants is investigated for dehydrogenation. Interestingly, in a number of cases, hydride‐proton transfer from the substituted ammonia‐borane to the catalyst undergoes a barrier‐less process in the gas phase, with rapid formation of hydrogenated catalyst in the gas phase. Amongst the catalysts considered, N,N‐difluoro ammonia‐borane and N‐phenyl ammonia‐borane systems resulted in negative activation energy barriers. However, these types of ammonia‐boranes are inherently thermodynamically unstable and undergo barrierless decay in the gas phase. Apart from N,N‐difluoro ammonia‐borane, the interaction between different types of catalyst and ammonia borane was modeled in the solvent phase, revealing free‐energy barriers slightly higher than those in the gas phase. Amongst the various potential candidate Ru‐complexes screened, few are found to differ in terms of efficiency for the dehydrogenation (rate‐limiting) step. To model dehydrogenation more accurately, a selection of explicit protic solvent molecules was considered, with the goal of lowering energy barriers for H‐H recombination. It was found that primary (1°), 2°, and 3° alcohols are the most suitable to enhance reaction rate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Efficient synthesis of optically active β-hydroxy p-tolylsulfones with very high enantiomeric excess via CBS–oxazaborolidine-catalyzed borane reduction

A simple, efficient synthesis of optically active β-hydroxy p-tolylsulfones with >99% e.e. by employing CBS–oxazaborolidine-catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction of β-keto p-tolylsulfones using N-ethyl-N-iso-propylaniline–borane complex as the borane carrier has been established.     

Ring cleavage rearrangement of cyclobutylmethylboranes

Boranes derived from hydroboration of methylenecyclobutane with borane/THF, 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, and borane-methyl sulfide rearranged on heating in situ at 100–160°C to open chain structures. Products after oxidation were the unrearranged cyclobutylmethanol, and 4-penten-1-ol, 1,4-pentanediol and 1,5-pentanediol. The unsaturated alcohol was the major product in reactions with a stoichiometric ratio of alkene to BH bonds, and the diols were formed with excess borane. With borane-methyl sulfide as hydroborating reagent, the rate of rearrangement at 100°C in triglyme was not significantly dependent upon the initial alkene/borane ratio $\text{3}\text{1}$ or $\text{1.15}\text{1}$ or the presence of excess methyl sulfide. However, an equivalent amount of pyridine prevented rearrangement. Rearrangement in THF using borane/THF also occurred at comparable rates in the presence and absence of excess borane. Little or no isomerization of the boron function into the cyclobutane ring was observed. Results are interpreted on the basis of a concerted four-center mechanism which requires a vacant boron orbital.     

A New Mode of Chemical Reactivity for Metal‐Free Hydrogen Activation by Lewis Acidic Boranes

We herein explore whether tris(aryl)borane Lewis acids are capable of cleaving H₂ outside of the usual Lewis acid/base chemistry described by the concept of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). Instead of a Lewis base we use a chemical reductant to generate stable radical anions of two highly hindered boranes: tris(3,5‐dinitromesityl)borane and tris(mesityl)borane. NMR spectroscopic characterization reveals that the corresponding borane radical anions activate (cleave) dihydrogen, whilst EPR spectroscopic characterization, supported by computational analysis, reveals the intermediates along the hydrogen activation pathway. This radical‐based, redox pathway involves the homolytic cleavage of H₂, in contrast to conventional models of FLP chemistry, which invoke a heterolytic cleavage pathway. This represents a new mode of chemical reactivity for hydrogen activation by borane Lewis acids.     

The B–H–B bridging interaction in B-substituted oxazaborolidine–borane complexes: a theoretical study

Ten oxazaborolidine–borane complexes, nine among them boron-substituted (B–R, R=CH₃, CF₃, and OCH₃), are carefully analysed using quantum-chemistry methods to determine their equilibrium geometries and the corresponding oxazaborolidine–borane interaction energies. It is observed that in all B-trifluoromethyl substituted oxazaborolidine–borane complexes and in one B-methyl substituted complex the B–H–B bond is formed and the interaction energies are 1.5–2.5 times as large as in other investigated complexes. We believe that the presented results may be helpful in experimental recognition of oxazaborolidine–borane complexes which may appear, inter alia, as reaction intermediates.     

Rh2[(R)-(+)-MTPA]4 as an NMR auxiliary for the enantiodifferentiation of chiral secondary and tertiary phosphine–borane complexes

The direct chiral recognition of secondary and tertiary phosphine–borane complexes is made possible by applying the dirhodium method (NMR in the presence of Rh₂[(R)-(+)-MTPA]₄, Rh¹). Due to the acid lability of the phosphine–borane complexes, it is advisable to use deuterated benzene as solvent rather than deuterated chloroform. The decomposition of the phosphine–borane complexes and the resulting Rh¹–phosphine adducts are also studied.     

New bicyclic organylboronic esters derived from iminodiacetic acids

The reactions of phenylboronic acid or dinethylthexyboronic ester with iminodiacetic- or N-methyliminodiacetic acids lead to high yield to the air-stable bicyclic esters (N-B)phenyl[iminodiacete-O,N]borane (1), (N-B)phenyl[N-methyliminodiacetate-O,N]borane (2), (N-B)thexy[iminodiacetate[O,N]borane (3) and (N-B)thexyl[N-methyliminodiacetate-O,N]borane (4). These are shown by ¹H, ¹¹B and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy to have rigid bicyclic structures of strong intramolecular N-B coordination.     

Enantiodivergent synthesis of P-chirogenic phosphines

Several approaches for the enantiodivergent synthesis of P-chirogenic mono- and diphosphines are described, using ephedrine methodology and phosphine borane chemistry. Firstly, both enantiomers of a tertiary phosphine can be obtained starting from the same oxazaphospholidine borane complex, prepared from (+)-ephedrine, when changing the order of addition of the organolithium reagents during the synthetic pathway. The second approach is based on the chlorophosphine boranes, which react with an organolithium reagent, to afford the corresponding phosphines with inversion of configuration. In the case where the chlorophosphine borane reacts with the t-butyl lithium reagent, a metal-halogen exchange occurs to afford the corresponding phosphide borane with retention of the configuration. The reaction of the phosphide borane with an alkyl halide leads to the same phosphine, but with the opposite configuration. Another approach depends on the diastereoselective preparation of the starting oxazaphospholidine borane complex from (?)-ephedrine, which leads according the case, to either one or the other enantiomer of a phosphine. Finally, the synthesis of (R,R)- and (S,S)-1,2-bis(methylphenylphosphino)ethane is also demonstrated using both enantiomers of the P-chirogenic diphosphinite diborane, which simultaneously allows the introduction of alkyl- or aryl substituents on the phosphorus atoms. In summary, these approaches show the great efficiency of the “ephedrine methodology” for the enantiodivergent synthesis of P-chirogenic mono- and diphosphines, and bearing alkyl or aryl substituents.     

Preparation of the 1-Methylimidazole Borane/Tetrazole System for Hypergolic Fuels

Based on the acid–base neutralization, the (1-methylimidazolium)(tetrazol-1-yl)borane was successfully synthesized by taking advantage of the acidity of the tetrazole and the basicity of the 1-methylimidazole borane complex. Through HRMS, NMR, and FT−IR, the structure of synthetic compounds was characterized in detail. Concerning about the (1-methylimidazolium)(tetrazol-1-yl)borane, it had an ignition−delay time of about 25 ms and a density specific impulse over 351 s·g/cm³, making it a suitable candidate for green hypergolic fuels. Moreover, it also demonstrated that introducing tetrazole into the borane could be an appropriate strategy to adjust the performance of the energy of those borane compounds.     

Production of Dihydrogen Using Ammonia Borane as Reagent and Pyrazole as Catalyst

Theoretical chemistry (DLPNO-CCSD(T)/def2-TZVP//M06-2x/aug-cc-pVDZ) was used to design a system based on ammonia boranes catalyzed by pyrazoles with the aim of producing dihydrogen, nowadays of high interest as clean fuel. The reactivity of ammonia borane and cyclotriborazane were investigated, including catalytic activation through 1H-pyrazole, 4-methoxy-1H-pyrazole, and 4-nitro-1H-pyrazole. The results point toward a catalytic cycle by which, at the same time, ammonia borane can initially store and then, through catalysis, produce dihydrogen and amino borane. Subsequently, amino borane can trimerize to form cyclotriborazane that, in presence of the same catalyst, can also produce dihydrogen. This study proposes therefore a consistent progress in using environmentally sustainable (metal free) catalysts to efficiently extract dihydrogen from small B−N bonded molecules.     

A convenient synthesis of (1S,2R)-1,2-indene oxide and trans-(1S,2S)-2-bromo-1-indanol via oxazaborolidine-catalyzed borane reduction

A facile synthesis of (1S,2R)-indene oxide with >99% e.e. and (1S,2S)-trans-2-bromo-1-indanol with 87% e.e. has been established by employing CBS-oxazaborolidine-catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction of 2-p-toluenesulfonyloxy-1-indanone using N-ethyl-N-isopropylaniline–borane complex as the borane carrier.     

Asymmetric borane reduction of ketones catalyzed by N‐hydroxyalkyl‐l‐menthopyrazoles

The equimolar mixture of N‐(hydroxyalkyl)pyrazoles and borane formed boric ester complex, in which the remaining borane was stabilized by the adjacent nitrogen of thr pyrazole ring. The borane complex derived from the chiral pyrazoles such as 3‐phenyl‐l‐menthopyrazole reduced p‐methylacetophenone ( 21 ) enantioselectively. When (2′S)‐2‐(2′‐phenyl‐2′‐hydroxyethyl)‐3‐phenyl‐l‐menthopyrazole ((2′S)‐ 10b ) was used, 21 was reduced into (S)‐p‐methylphenyl‐1‐ethanol ( 22 ) in moderate chemical and optical yields. Due to the inconvenience of the preparation and the lower optical yield, the use of N‐(α‐hydroxyalkyl)pyrazoles was unpromising for the enantioselective reduction of ketones by borane.     

π-Complexes of transition metal tricarbonyls with cyclopolyenes and their boron analogs

The structures and stability of complexes of transition metal tricarbonyls (M = Co, Fe, Mn, Cr) with hydrocarbon and borane basal rings, (C _n H _n )M(CO)₃ and (B _n H _2n )M(CO) _n , respectively, as well as internal rotation of the metal tricarbonyl fragments in these systems were studied by the DFT B3LYP/6-311+G(df,p) method. Replacement of hydrocarbon basal fragments by isoelectronic borane rings leads to strengthening of the interaction between the apical and basal fragments, but does not change the trend in the heights of barriers to internal rotation. In all cases, the metal tricarbonyl fragment stabilizes the nonclassical planar form of the borane rings, whereas the complexes of metal tricarbonyls based on the classical nonplanar borane conformations are less thermodynamically stable.