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Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
Published on: April 19, 2019
Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane-Catalyzed Carbenium Ion Generation and Autocatalytic Pyrazole Synthesis-A Computational
Ayan Dasgupta1, Rasool Babaahmadi2, Sanjukta Pahar1
1Cardiff Catalysis Institute, School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, Cymru/Wales, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
In recent years, metal-free organic synthesis using triarylboranes as catalysts has become a prevalent research area. Herein we report a comprehensive computational and experimental study for the highly selective synthesis of N-substituted pyrazoles through the generation of carbenium species from the reaction between aryl esters and vinyl diazoacetates in the presence of catalytic tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane [B(C6 F5 )3 ]. DFT studies were undertaken to illuminate the reaction mechanism revealing that the in situ generation of a carbenium species acts as an autocatalyst to prompt the regiospecific formation of N-substituted pyrazoles in good to excellent yields (up to 81 %).
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