B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed Transfer of Dihydrogen from One Unsaturated Hydrocarbon to Another

A transition‐metal‐free transfer hydrogenation of 1,1‐disubstituted alkenes with cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes as the formal source of dihydrogen is reported. The process is initiated by B(C₆F₅)₃‐mediated hydride abstraction from the dihydrogen surrogate, forming a Brønsted acidic Wheland complex and [HB(C₆F₅)₃]^?. A sequence of proton and hydride transfers onto the alkene substrate then yields the alkane. Although several carbenium ion intermediates are involved, competing reaction channels, such as dihydrogen release and cationic dimerization of reactants, are largely suppressed by the use of a cyclohexa‐1,4‐diene with methyl groups at the C1 and C5 as well as at the C3 position, the site of hydride abstraction. The alkene concentration is another crucial factor. The various reaction pathways were computationally analyzed, leading to a mechanistic picture that is in full agreement with the experimental observations.     

B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Oxime Ethers without Cleavage of the NO Bond

The hydrogenation of oximes and oxime ethers is usually hampered by N? O bond cleavage, hence affording amines rather than hydroxylamines. The boron Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃ is found to catalyze the chemoselective hydrogenation of oxime ethers at elevated or even room temperature under 100 bar dihydrogen pressure. The use of the triisopropylsilyl group as a protecting group allows for facile liberation of the free hydroxylamines.     

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.     

Boron Lewis Acid‐Catalyzed Hydroboration of Alkenes with Pinacolborane: BArF3 Does What B(C6F5)3 Cannot Do!

The transition‐metal‐free hydroboration of various alkenes with pinacolborane (HBpin) initiated by tris[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borane (BAr^F₃) is reported. The choice of the boron Lewis acid is crucial as the more prominent boron Lewis acid tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C₆F₅)₃) is reluctant to react. Unlike B(C₆F₅)₃, BAr^F₃ is found to engage in substituent redistribution with HBpin, resulting in the formation of Ar^FBpin and the electron‐deficient diboranes [H₂BAr^F]₂ and [(Ar^F)(H)B(μ‐H)₂BAr^F₂]. These in situ‐generated hydroboranes undergo regioselective hydroboration of styrene derivatives as well as aliphatic alkenes with cis diastereoselectivity. Another ligand metathesis of these adducts with HBpin subsequently affords the corresponding HBpin‐derived anti‐Markovnikov adducts. The reactive hydroboranes are regenerated in this step, thereby closing the catalytic cycle.     

Extending the Scope of the B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed CN Bond Reduction: Hydrogenation of Oxime Ethers and Hydrazones

The B(C₆F₅)₃‐catalyzed hydrogenation is applied to aldoxime triisopropylsilyl ethers and hydrazones bearing an easily removable phthaloyl protective group. The C?N reduction of aldehyde‐derived substrates (oxime ethers and hydrazones) is enabled by using 1,4‐dioxane as the solvent known to participate as the Lewis‐basic component in FLP‐type heterolytic dihydrogen splitting. More basic ketone‐derived hydrazones act as Lewis bases themselves in the FLP‐type dihydrogen activation and are therefore successfully hydrogenated in nondonating toluene. The difference in reactivity between aldehyde‐ and ketone‐derived substrates is also reflected in the required catalyst loading and dihydrogen pressure.     

Transfer Hydrocyanation of α‐ and α,β‐Substituted Styrenes Catalyzed by Boron Lewis Acids

A straightforward gram‐scale preparation of cyclohexa‐1,4‐diene‐based hydrogen cyanide (HCN) surrogates is reported. These are bench‐stable but formally release HCN and rearomatize when treated with Lewis acids. For BCl₃, the formation of the isocyanide adduct [(CN)BCl₃]^? and the corresponding Wheland complex was verified by mass spectrometry. In the presence of 1,1‐di‐ and trisubstituted alkenes, transfer of HCN from the surrogate to the C?C double bond occurs, affording highly substituted nitriles with Markovnikov selectivity. The success of this transfer hydrocyanation depends on the Lewis acid employed; catalytic amounts of BCl₃ and (C₆F₅)₂BCl are shown to be effective while B(C₆F₅)₃ and BF₃?OEt₂ are not.     

B(C6F5)3-catalyzed synthesis of benzylic azides

B(C₆F₅)₃ was found to catalyze the reaction between trimethylsilyl azide and benzylic acetates. Secondary and tertiary benzylic acetates were competent substrates in this reaction providing the azide products in moderate to high yields. Mechanistic experiments are consistent with the possible formation of a Lewis acid-base pair between the B(C₆F₅)₃ and trimethylsilyl azide.     

Cyclisation versus 1,1‐Carboboration: Reactions of B(C6F5)3 with Propargyl Amides

A series of propargyl amides were prepared and their reactions with the Lewis acidic compound B(C₆F₅)₃ were investigated. These reactions were shown to afford novel heterocycles under mild conditions. The reaction of a variety of N‐substituted propargyl amides with B(C₆F₅)₃ led to an intramolecular oxo‐boration cyclisation reaction, which afforded the 5‐alkylidene‐4,5‐dihydrooxazolium borate species. Secondary propargyl amides gave oxazoles in B(C₆F₅)₃ mediated (catalytic) cyclisation reactions. In the special case of disubstitution adjacent to the nitrogen atom, 1,1‐carboboration is favoured as a result of the increased steric hindrance (1,3‐allylic strain) in the 5‐alkylidene‐4,5‐dihydrooxazolium borate species.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Tricarbastannatranes and Their Reactivity in B(C6F5)3‐Promoted Conjugate Additions

The synthesis and characterization of a series of tricarbastannatranes, in the solid state and in solution, are described. The structures of the complexes [N(CH₂CH₂CH₂)₃Sn](BF₄), [N(CH₂CH₂CH₂)₃Sn](SbF₆), [N(CH₂CH₂CH₂)₃Sn]₄[(SbF₆)₃Cl], and [(N(CH₂CH₂CH₂)₃Sn)₂OH][MeB(C₆F₅)₃] were determined by X‐ray crystallography. Furthermore, the B(C₆F₅)₃‐promoted conjugate addition of alkyl‐tricarbastannatranes to benzylidene derivatives of Meldrum’s acid was investigated, and detailed mechanistic studies are presented.     

Enantioselective Nazarov Cyclizations Catalyzed by an Axial Chiral C6F5‐Substituted Boron Lewis Acid

A chiral variant of B(C₆F₅)₃ with a 3,3′‐disubstituted binaphthyl backbone is shown to catalyze Nazarov cyclizations with high levels of enantio‐ and diastereocontrol. The parent B(C₆F₅)₃ also promotes these ring closures efficiently. This electrocyclization is another example of the still small family of C?C bond formations mediated by B(C₆F₅)₃ as the catalyst.     

B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed Chemoselective Defunctionalization of Ether‐Containing Primary Alkyl Tosylates with Hydrosilanes

Catalytic C(sp³)−O bond cleavage promoted by B(C₆F₅)₃ /Et₃SiH proceeds preferentially with primary tosylates in the presence of primary and secondary silyl ethers and aryl ethers. This reactivity difference enables the chemoselective defunctionalization of several 1,n ‐diols, and the efficiency of the new procedure is highlighted by the selective deoxygenation of the hydroxymethyl group of an orthogonally protected carbohydrate. Tosylates with an adjacent phenyl group are cleaved with anchimeric assistance.     

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.     

B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed Selective Chlorination of Hydrosilanes

The chlorination of Si−H bonds often requires stoichiometric amounts of metal salts in conjunction with hazardous reagents, such as tin chlorides, Cl₂, and CCl₄. The catalytic chlorination of silanes often involves the use of expensive transition‐metal catalysts. By a new simple, selective, and highly efficient catalytic metal‐free method for the chlorination of Si−H bonds, mono‐, di‐, and trihydrosilanes were selectively chlorinated in the presence of a catalytic amount of B(C₆F₅)₃ or Et₂O⋅B(C₆F₅)₃ and HCl with the release of H₂ as a by‐product. The hydrides in di‐ and trihydrosilanes could be selectively chlorinated by HCl in a stepwise manner when Et₂O⋅B(C₆F₅)₃ was used as the catalyst. A mechanism is proposed for these catalytic chlorination reactions on the basis of competition experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.