The Relative Acceptor Power of Boron Trihalides and Borane Toward Trimethylamine by Proton N.M.R. Measurements

Proton n.m.r. spectra of trimethylamine adducts of the boron trihalides and borane have been measured in chloroform solution. Chemical shifts of methyl protons relative to tetramethylsilane decrease in the order: BBr3 > BCl3 > BH3 > BF3, suggesting that this is the order of acceptor activity toward trimethylamine. This is supported by the existence of a linear relationship between methyl proton chemical shifts and the heats of formation, dipole moments, or infrared vibrational shifts of boron trihalide and borane adducts. Splitting of methyl proton resonances into quartets have been observed for (CH3)3N•BCl3 and (CH3)3N•BBr3 but not for (CH3)3N•BF3 and (CH3)3N•BH3.