The very strong reducing capabilities of the boryllithium nucleophile (THF)2Li{B(NDippCH)2} (1, Dipp = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) render impractical its use for the direct introduction of the {B(NDippCH)2} ligand via metathesis chemistry into the immediate coordination sphere of transition metals (d(n), with n ≠ 0 or 10). Instead, 1 typically reacts with metal halide, amide and hydrocarbyl electrophiles either via electron transfer or halide abstraction. Evidence for the formation of M-B bonds is obtained only in the case of the d(5) system [{(HCDippN)2B}Mn(THF)(μ-Br)]2. Lower oxidation state metal carbonyl complexes such as Fe(CO)5 and Cr(CO)6 react with 1 via nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon atom to give boryl-functionalized Fischer carbene complexes Fe(CO)4{C(OLi(THF)3)B(NDippCH)2} and Cr(CO)5{C(OLi(THF)2)B(NDippCH)2}. Although C-to-M boryl transfer does not occur for these formally anionic systems, more labile charge neutral bora-acyl derivatives of the type LnM{C(O)B(NDippCH)2} [LnM = Mn(CO)5, Re(CO)5, CpFe(CO)2] can be synthesized, which cleanly lose CO to generate M-B bonds. From a mechanistic standpoint, an archetypal organometallic mode of reactivity, carbonyl extrusion, has thus been shown to be applicable to the boryl ligand class, with (13)C isotopic labeling studies confirming a dissociation/migration pathway. These proof-of-methodology synthetic studies can be extended beyond boryl complexes of the group 7 and 8 metals (for which a number of versatile synthetic routes already exist) to provide access to complexes of cobalt, which have hitherto proven only sporadically accessible.

The amino imidazolin-2-imine ligand [HAmIm, 1,2-(DippNH)–C6H4–NC(NiPrCMe)2] is employed in the synthesis of the paramagnetic cobalt(I) arene complex Co(AmIm)(η 6 -C6H6). The latter was found to be a highly efficient (pre)catalyst in H/D exchange reactions with deuterium (D2) in hydrosilanes. The scope comprises primary to tertiary silanes at a low catalyst loading of 1 mol %. Additionally, the same cobalt(I) arene complex was able to catalyze hydrosilylation reactions of terminal olefins with primary to tertiary silanes at low catalyst loadings of 0.5 mol %. The scope of hydrosilylation includes intramolecular hydrosilylation to produce silacarbocycles and multiple hydrosilylation with primary silanes. The mechanistic investigation includes numerous control experiments for both H/D exchange and hydrosilylation. Isolated (trapped) cobalt(III) hydride silyl complexes (including X-ray crystallographic authentication) are presented for primary to tertiary Si–H entities, which demonstrates a wide scope of Si–H bond activation by the low-valent Co(AmIm) core. The experimental results are strongly corroborated by density functional theory calculations, which explore the possible reaction mechanisms of studied reactions.

Boron reluctantly forms B=X (X=O, S, Se, Te) moieties, which has stimulated the quest for such species in the past few years. Based on the N,N′‐chelating β‐diketiminato ligand (HNacNac), a new amido imidazoline‐2‐imine ligand system (HAmIm) is presented, giving rise to the isolation of an exhaustive series of Lewis acid free, monomeric chalcogen B=X boranes with documented π‐bond character between boron and the chalcogen. The chalcogenoboranes are isoelectronic and isolobal to the respective ketones. The chemical behavior of the oxoborane (B=O) strongly resembles the classical carbonyl reactivity in C=O bonds. The improved stability provided by HAmIm arises from the formation of more‐stable five‐membered boron chelates versus the six‐membered NacNac analogues and from the imidazoline‐2‐imine moiety providing enhanced σ‐ and π‐donation. The HAmIm ligand class may supersede the widely employed NacNac system in certain applications.

Cobalt boryl complexes, which have only been sporadically reported, can be accessed systematically with remarkable (but controllable) variation in the nature of the M-B bond. Complexes incorporating a very strong trans σ-donor display unparalleled inertness, reflected in retention of the M-B bond even in the presence of extremely strong acid. By contrast, the use of the strong π-acceptor CO in the trans position, results in significant Co-B elongation and to labilization of the boryl ligand via unprecedented CO migratory insertion. Such chemistry provides a pathway for the generation of coordinative unsaturation, thereby enabling ligand substitution and/or substrate assimilation. Alkene functionalization by boryl transfer, a well-known reaction for noble metals such as Rh or Pt, can thus be effected by an 18-electron base-metal complex.

The novel boryl anions NHC–B(CN)2 – complete a series of cyanoborates with continuously increasing boron-centred nucleophilicity.

We present the first cyclic five-membered triel(I) carbenoides E(AmIm) for E = Ga, In, Tl; AmIm = amido imidazoline-2-imine, which fill the current gap between four- and six-membered triel(I) carbenoides...

We present facile access to an alumaborane species with electron precise AlÀ B σ-bond. The reductive rearrangement of 1-(AlI 2 ), 8-(BMes 2 ) naphthalene (Mes = 2,4,6-Me 3 C 6 H 2 ) affords the alumaborane species cyclo-(1,8-C 10 H 6 )-[1-Al(Mes)(OEt 2 )-8-B(Mes)] with a covalent AlÀ B σ-bond. The AlÀ B σ-bond performs the reductive scission of multiple bonds: S=C(NiPrCMe) 2 affords the naphthalene bridged motif BÀ SÀ Al(NHC), NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene, while O=CPh 2 is deoxygenated to afford an BÀ OÀ Al bridged species with incorporation of the remaining �CPh 2 fragment into the naphthalene scaffold. The reaction with isonitrile Xyl-N�C (Xyl = 2,6-Me 2 C 6 H 4 ) proceeds via a proposed (amino boryl) carbene species; which adds a second equivalent of isonitrile to ultimately form the AlÀ NÀ B bridged species cyclo-(1,8-C 10 H 6 )-[1-Al(Mes)-N(Xyl)-8-B{C(Mes)=CÀ NÀ Xyl}] with complete scission of the C�N triple bond. The latter reaction is supported with isolated intermediates and by DFT calculations.

Boron reluctantly forms B=X (X=O, S, Se, Te) moieties, which has stimulated the quest for such species in the past few years. Based on the N,N′‐chelating β‐diketiminato ligand (HNacNac), a new amido imidazoline‐2‐imine ligand system (HAmIm) is presented, giving rise to the isolation of an exhaustive series of Lewis acid free, monomeric chalcogen B=X boranes with documented π‐bond character between boron and the chalcogen. The chalcogenoboranes are isoelectronic and isolobal to the respective ketones. The chemical behavior of the oxoborane (B=O) strongly resembles the classical carbonyl reactivity in C=O bonds. The improved stability provided by HAmIm arises from the formation of more‐stable five‐membered boron chelates versus the six‐membered NacNac analogues and from the imidazoline‐2‐imine moiety providing enhanced σ‐ and π‐donation. The HAmIm ligand class may supersede the widely employed NacNac system in certain applications.