Phosphine-Stabilized Borylenes and Boryl Anions as Ligands? Redox Reactivity in Boron-Based Pincer Complexes

Stabilized borylenes (L2BHD) with weakly pi-accepting substituents L, such as phosphines, were previously believed to be unstable. In the current manuscript, we describe a series of complexes formally containing a phosphine-stabilized borylene or boryl anion. In contrast to common trivalent boron compounds, the boron-based ligands in this study act as electron-donating ligands. The reported iron hydride complexes exhibit a unique reactivity pattern, undergoing a reversible B-H reductive elimination concomitant with oxidation of the boron(I) center.