A Selenenium-Bridged 10-Boratriptycene Lewis Acid

A non-planar triarylborane and a new member of the boratriptycene family bearing a selenium atom in bridgehead position of triptycene scaffold was generated and isolated as a boron-'ate' complex paired with a weakly coordinating anion. With similar electronegativity while possessing longer atom radius with respect to sulfur, the introduction a selenium atom, in the form of a selenenium moiety, at the bridgehead of a triptycene scaffold allows a very precise modification of the pyramidalization of the boron atom environment. Experimental and computational evaluation of the Lewis acidity of this new boratriptycene derivative gave qualitative information on how a modification of the pyramidalization of the boron environment affects alone Lewis acidity parameters of such pyramidal triarylborane.

Automated summary

A new boratriptycene derivative with a selenium atom in the bridgehead position of the triptycene scaffold was synthesized, and its Lewis acidity was evaluated experimentally and computationally. The introduction of a selenium atom allows precise modification of the pyramidalization of the boron atom environment, affecting the Lewis acidity parameters of the triarylborane.