Facile proton-coupled electron transfer enabled by coordination-induced E-H bond weakening to boron

We report the facile activation of aryl E-H (ArEH; E = N, O, S; Ar = Ph or C6F5) or ammonia N-H bonds via coordination-induced bond weakening to a redox-active boron center in the complex, (1(-)). Substantial decreases in E-H bond dissociation free energies (BDFEs) are observed upon substrate coordination, enabling subsequent facile proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). A drop of >50 kcal mol(-1) in H2N-H BDFE upon coordination was experimentally determined.

Automated summary

The paper discusses the facile activation of aryl E-H or ammonia N-H bonds via coordination-induced bond weakening to a redox-active boron center in the complex. Significant decreases in E-H bond dissociation free energies were observed upon substrate coordination, enabling subsequent proton-coupled electron transfer. Experimental results showed a drop of over 50 kcal mol(-1) in H2N-H bond dissociation free energy upon coordination.