Hydrogen shuttling: synthesis and reactivity of a 14-electron iridium complex featuring a bis(alkyl) tethered N-heterocyclic carbene ligand

Solvent dependent double C-H activation in an Ir(NHC)(2) system generates an agostically stabilized 14-electron complex featuring a face-capping bis(alkyl) tethered NHC ligand [NHC = N-hetero-cyclic carbene]. These activation processes are reversible, and the resulting ligand-derived hydrogen shuttle can be applied to the dehydrogenation of BN-containing substrates.