Arrested B–H Activation en Route to Installation of a PBP Pincer Ligand on Ruthenium and Osmium

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The reaction of HB(NCH 2 PPh 2 ) 2 C 6 H 4 -1,2 with [MCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 3 ] (M = Ru, Os) affords the six-coordinate σ-borane complexes [MCl 2 (PPh 3 ){σ- BH -κ 2 - P,P ′-HB(NCH 2 PPh 2 ) 2 -C 6 H 4 }], in which the B–H bond remains intact while coordinated to the metal center. Replacement of the unique phosphine by π-acceptor ligands, e.g., CO and CNC 6 H 2 Me 3, induces B–H activation followed by spontaneous dehydrochlorination with the formation of the boryl pincer complexes [RuCl(CA) 2 {B(NCH 2 PPh 2 ) 2 C 6 H 4 }] (A = O, NC 6 H 2 Me 3 -2,4,6).