Diboriranide σ-Complexes of d- and p-Block Metals

Diboriranides are the smallest conceivable monoanionic aromatic cycles, yet only limited examples have been reported and their reactivity and complexation behavior remain completely unexplored. We report a straightforward synthesis of the first peraryl diboriranide c-(DurB)(2)CPh- as its lithium salt in three steps via the corresponding non-classical diborirane from a readily available 1,2-dichlorodiborane(4) (Dur=2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenyl). With the preparation and complete characterization of representative complexes with tin, copper, gold and zinc, we demonstrate the strong preference of the diboriranide for sigma-type coordination modes towards main group and transition metal centers under unperturbed retention of the three-membered B2C-ring's 2e(-) pi-system.

Automated summary

This article reports a straightforward synthesis of the first peraryl diboriranide and investigates its complexation behavior with metals such as tin, copper, gold, and zinc. The results demonstrate the strong preference of the diboriranide for sigma-type coordination modes towards main group and transition metal centers.