Synthesis and Reactivity of Cyclic Borane-Amidine Conjugated Molecules Formed by Direct 1,2-Carboboration of Carbodiimides with 9-Borafluorenes

The Effect of Carborane Substituents on the Lewis Acidity of Boranes

The Lewis acidity of primary, secondary, and tertiary boranes with phenyl, pentafluorophenyl, and all three isomers of the C-substituted icosahedral carboranes (ortho, meta, and para) was investigated by computing their fluoride, hydride, and ammonia affinities as well as their global electrophilicity indices and LUMO energies. From these calculations, it was determined that the substituent effects on the Lewis acidity of these boranes follow the trend of ortho-carborane > meta-carborane > para-carborane > C6F5 > C6H5.

Probing borafluorene B-C bond insertion with gold acetylide and azide

The reaction of Ph₃PAuN₃ with 9-Ph-9-borafluorene resulted in complexation of the azide to boron while a gold acetylide reacted with 9-Ph-9-borafluorene to insert the acetylide carbon to access a six-membered boracycle with an exocyclic double bond.

Backbone-controlled LUMO energy induces intramolecular C-H activation in ortho-bis-9-borafluorene-substituted phenyl and o-carboranyl compounds leading to novel 9,10-diboraanthracene derivatives

The choice of backbone linker for two ortho-bis-(9-borafluorene)s has a great influence on the LUMO located at the boron centers and, therefore, the reactivity of the respective compounds. Herein, we report the room temperature rearrangement of 1,2-bis-(9-borafluorenyl)-ortho-carborane, C2B10H10-1,2-[B(C12H8)]2 ([2a]) featuring o-carborane as the inorganic three-dimensional backbone and the synthesis of 1,2-bis-(9-borafluorenyl)benzene, C6H4-1,2-[B(C12H8)]2 (2b), its phenylene analog. DFT calculations on the transition state for the rearrangement support an intramolecular C-H bond activation process via an SEAr-like mechanism in [2a], and predicted that the same rearrangement would take place in 2b, but at elevated temperatures, which indeed proved to be the case. The rearrangement gives access to 3a and 3b as dibora-benzo[a]fluoroanthene isomers, a form of diboron polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) that had yet to be explored. The isolated compounds 2b, 3a, and 3b were fully characterized by NMR, HRMS, cyclic voltammetry (CV), single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and photophysical measurements, supported by DFT and TD-DFT calculations.

Accessing Boron-Doped Pentaphene Analogues from 12-Boradibenzofluorene

Borole-doped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have garnered attention in recent years due to their attractive photophysical properties and potential utility in electronic devices. In this work, a borole-doped PAH, 12-boradibenzofluorene, is synthesized and formal intermolecular nitrene and oxygen atom insertion reactions were employed to access 1,2-azaborine- and 1,2-oxaborine-containing analogues of the carbonaceous PAH pentaphene. Iodosobenzene is established as a versatile reagent for oxygen atom insertion reactions into a variety of borole species to access 1,2-oxaborine systems.

A carbon-functionality-appended diborylacetylene available for a component of organic synthesis and OLEDs

We present new 1,2-diborylacetylene derivatives with planar 9-oxa-10-boraanthracene termini, which display excellent stability to allow usual handling and even thermal evaporation for the preparation of thin films for OLEDs, and also undergo typical reactions of alkynes such as the Diels-Alder reaction.

Bringing out the potential of organoboron compounds by designing the chemical bonds and spaces around boron

Since the structures, reactivity and properties of organoboron compounds stem from the electron deficiency and low electronegativity of boron, the design of the chemical bonds attached to boron as well...

Observation of Borane-Olefin Proximity Interaction Governing the Structure and Reactivity of Boron-Containing Macrocycles

While attractive interactions between borane and olefin have been postulated to trigger various boron-mediated organic transformations, proximity structures of these functional groups, other than the formation of weak van der Waals complexes, have never been directly observed. Here we show that a close intramolecular borane-olefin interaction operates in macrocyclic systems containing borane and olefinic groups obtained by multi-step 1,2-carboboration between a strained alkyne and 9-borafluorene derivatives. Depending on Lewis acidity of the borane moiety and the size of the macrocycles, the magnitude of interaction changes, resulting in different reaction modes. The whole picture of the multi-step reactions has been revealed experimentally with theoretical supports. The present finding may not only provide a deeper understanding of the fundamental boron-mediated interaction but also lead to the development of new organic transformations involving molecular activation by boranes.

Persistent Borafluorene Radicals

N‐Heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐ and cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC)‐stabilized borafluorene radicals have been isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, UV/Vis absorption, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and theoretical studies. Both the CAAC–borafluorene radical (2) and the NHC–borafluorene radical (4) have a considerable amount of spin density localized on the boron atoms (0.322 for 2 and 0.369 for 4). In compound 2, the unpaired electron is also partly delocalized over the CAAC ligand ^carbeneC and N atoms. However, the unpaired electron in compound 4 mainly resides throughout the borafluorene π‐system, with significantly less delocalization over the NHC ligand. These results highlight the Lewis base dependent electrostructural tuning of materials‐relevant radicals. Notably, this is the first report of crystalline borafluorene radicals, and these species exhibit remarkable solid‐state and solution stability.

Switching of the conformational flexibility of a diazacyclooctane-containing ladder polymer by coordination and elimination of a Lewis acid

We report the first system of ladder polymers capable of interconversion between rigid and flexible conformations by coordination and elimination of a Lewis acid (BPh₂Cl) on diazacyclooctane units in the main chain.

Small molecule activation by boron-containing heterocycles

Most of the chemical and biological processes involving the fixation and transformation of small molecules have long been exclusive for metal complexes. Meanwhile, the last decades have seen a significant advance in main group chemistry that mimics transition-metal complexes, among which various boron-containing systems have been successful in mediating the small molecule activation. In this review, we focus on boron-containing heterocycles enabling the activation of σ- and π-bonds in small molecules, in conjunction with the proposed mechanisms.

Successive carbene insertion into 9-phenyl-9-borafluorene

The reactions of 9-phenyl-9-borafluorene with trimethylsilyldiazomethane in a 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 stoichiometry furnished the corresponding BC5 and BC6 heterocycles via the formal insertion of one and two carbene units.