Four (2,2′‐bipyridyl)(ferrocenyl)boronium derivatives

Crystal structures are reported for four (2,2′‐bipyridyl)(ferrocenyl)boronium derivatives, namely (2,2′‐bipyridyl)(ethenyl)(ferrocenyl)boronium hexafluoridophosphate, Fe(C₅H₅)(C₁₇H₁₅BN₂)]PF₆, (Ib), (2,2′‐bipyridyl)(tert‐butylamino)(ferrocenyl)boronium bromide, Fe(C₅H₅)(C₁₉H₂₂BN₃)]Br, (IIa), (2,2′‐bipyridyl)(ferrocenyl)(4‐methoxyphenylamino)boronium hexafluoridophosphate acetonitrile hemisolvate, Fe(C₅H₅)(C₂₂H₂₀BN₃O)]PF₆·0.5CH₃CN, (IIIb), and 1,1′‐bis(2,2′‐bipyridyl)(cyanomethyl)boronium]ferrocene bis(hexafluoridophosphate), Fe(C₁₇H₁₄BN₃)₂](PF₆)₂, (IVb). The asymmetric unit of (IIIb) contains two independent cations with very similar conformations. The B atom has a distorted tetrahedral coordination in all four structures. The cyclopentadienyl rings of (Ib), (IIa) and (IIIb) are approximately eclipsed, while a bisecting conformation is found for (IVb). The N—H groups of (IIa) and (IIIb) are shielded by the ferrocenyl and tert‐butyl or phenyl groups and are therefore not involved in hydrogen bonding. The B—N(amine) bond lengths are shortened by delocalization of π‐electrons. In the cations with an amine substituent at boron, the B—N(bipyridyl) bonds are 0.035 (3) Å longer than in the cations with a methylene C atom bonded to boron. A similar lengthening of the B—N(bipyridyl) bonds is found in a survey of related cations with an oxy group attached to the B atom.