A Transition Metal Lewis Acid/Base Triad System for Cooperative Substrate Binding

A frustrated Lewis pair accessory functionality is positioned in the secondary coordination sphere of a terpyridine ligand (Tpy(BN) = 6-morpholino-2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine-6 ''-boronic acid pinacol ester) to promote directed Lewis acid/base interactions. Following metalation with VCl3, the utility of the metal Lewis acid/base triad (LABT) is highlighted with N2H4 as a cooperatively coordinated substrate, affording the first eta(2)-[N2H3](-) vanadium complex.