Formation and Metallomimetic Reactivity of a Transient Dicoordinate Alkylborylene

Abstract

While existing literature has primarily focused on carbene-stabilized amino- and arylborylenes of the form [(carbene)BR] (R = substituent), herein we report the generation and metallomimetic reactivity of the first carbene-stabilized alkylborylene [(CAAC^Me)BCy] (CAAC^Me = 1-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidin-2-ylidene, Cy = cyclohexyl). Furthermore, the transition metal-like decarbonylation reactions of a borylene complex, [(CAAC^Me)BCy(CO)], derived from borylene [(CAAC^Me)BCy] and CO, are described. Additional findings described include i) the identification of the coordination stages of the ligand to boron towards forming complexes [(CAAC^Me)BCyL] in the reduction route from starting material [(CAAC^Me)BCyBr₂] and in the photolysis route from carbonyl complex [(CAAC^Me)BCy(CO], and ii) insights from quantum-chemical computations regarding the molecular and electronic structure of the borylene at various stages.