Novel H2 activation by a tris[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borane frustrated Lewis pair

Tris[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borane (1, BArF18), has been synthesised on a practical scale for the first time. According to the Gutmann-Beckett method it is a more powerful Lewis acid than B(C6F5)(3). It forms a 'frustrated Lewis pair' with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine which cleaves H-2 to form a salt containing the novel anion [mu-H(BArF18)(2)](-).