Donor–Acceptor Complexation and Dehydrogenation Chemistry of Aminoboranes

A series of formal donor-acceptor adducts of aminoborane (H(2)BNH(2)) and its N-substituted analogues (H(2)BNRR') were prepared: LB-H(2)BNRR'(2)-BH(3) (LB = DMAP, IPr, IPrCH(2) and PCy(3); R and R' = H, Me or tBu; IPr = [(HCNDipp)(2)C:] and Dipp = 2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)). To potentially access complexes of molecular boron nitride, LB-BN-LA (LA = Lewis acid), preliminary dehydrogenation chemistry involving the parent aminoborane adducts LB-H(2)BNH(2)-BH(3) was investigated using [Rh(COD)Cl](2), CuBr, and NiBr(2) as dehydrogenation catalysts. In place of isolating the intended dehydrogenated BN donor-acceptor complexes, the formation of borazine was noted as a major product. Attempts to prepare the fluoroarylborane-capped aminoborane complexes, LB-H(2)BNH(2)-B(C(6)F(5))(3), are also described.