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Taming the Lewis Superacidity of Non-Planar Boranes: C-H Bond Activation and Non-Classical Binding Modes at Boron
Arnaud Osi1, Damien Mahaut1, Nikolay Tumanov1
1Chemistry Department-Namur Institute of Structured Matter-, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000, Namur, Belgium.
Abstract:
The rational design of a geometrically constrained boron Lewis superacid featuring exceptional structure and reactivity is disclosed. It enabled the formation of non-classical electron deficient B-H-B type of bonding, which was supported by spectroscopic and structural parameters as well as computational studies. Taming the pyramidal Lewis acid electrophilicity through weak coordinating anion dissociation enabled a series of highly challenging chemical transformations, such as Csp2 -H and Csp3 -H activation under a frustrated Lewis pair regime and the cleavage of Csp3 -Si bonds. The demonstration of such rich chemical behaviour and flexibility on a single molecular compound makes it a unique mediator of chemical transformations generally restricted to transition metals.
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