Metal-free hydrogenation catalyzed by an air-stable borane: use of solvent as a frustrated Lewis base
File(s)Angewandte Chemie International Edition_53_38_2014.pdf (405.52 KB)
Published version
Author(s)
Scott, Daniel J
Fuchter, Matthew J
Ashley, Andrew E
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In recent years ‘frustrated Lewis pairs’ (FLPs) have been shown to be effective metal‐free catalysts for the hydrogenation of many unsaturated substrates. Even so, limited functional‐group tolerance restricts the range of solvents in which FLP‐mediated reactions can be performed, with all FLP‐mediated hydrogenations reported to date carried out in non‐donor hydrocarbon or chlorinated solvents. Herein we report that the bulky Lewis acids B(C6Cl5)x(C6F5)3−x (x=0–3) are capable of heterolytic H2 activation in the strong‐donor solvent THF, in the absence of any additional Lewis base. This allows metal‐free catalytic hydrogenations to be performed in donor solvent media under mild conditions; these systems are particularly effective for the hydrogenation of weakly basic substrates, including the first examples of metal‐free catalytic hydrogenation of furan heterocycles. The air‐stability of the most effective borane, B(C6Cl5)(C6F5)2, makes this a practically simple reaction method.
Date Issued
2014-09-15
Date Acceptance
2014-07-07
Citation
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2014, 53 (38), pp.10218-10222
ISSN
1433-7851
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
10218
End Page
10222
Journal / Book Title
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Volume
53
Issue
38
Copyright Statement
© 2014 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000342761700042&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
EP/K030760/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
boranes
frustrated Lewis pairs
heterocycles
hydrogenation
solvent effects
SMALL-MOLECULE ACTIVATION
B(C6F5)(3)-CATALYZED HYDROSILATION
ALKENE POLYMERIZATION
PAIRS
DIHYDROGEN
IMINES
ETHERS
THF
TETRAHYDROFURAN
REACTIVITY
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2014-08-11