Separating electrophilicity and Lewis acidity: the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemistry of the electron deficient tris(aryl)boranes B(C6F5)(3-n)(C6Cl5)n (n = 1-3)

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society 2011-09, Vol.133 (37), p.14727-14740
• Main Authors: Ashley, Andrew E, Herrington, Thomas J, Wildgoose, Gregory G, Zaher, Hasna, Thompson, Amber L, Rees, Nicholas H, Krämer, Tobias, O'Hare, Dermot
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja205037t

A new family of electron-deficient tris(aryl)boranes, B(C(6)F(5))(3-n)(C(6)Cl(5))(n) (n = 1-3), has been synthesized, permitting an investigation into the steric and electronic effects resulting from the gradual replacement of C(6)F(5) with C(6)Cl(5) ligands. B(C(6)F(5))(2)(C(6)Cl(5)) (3) is accessed via C(6)Cl(5)BBr(2), itself prepared from donor-free Zn(C(6)Cl(5))(2) and BBr(3). Reaction of C(6)Cl(5)Li with BCl(3) in a Et(2)O/hexane slurry selectively produced B(C(6)Cl(5))(2)Cl, which undergoes B-Cl exchange with CuC(6)F(5) to afford B(C(6)F(5))(C(6)Cl(5))(2) (5). While 3 forms a complex with H(2)O, which can be rapidly removed under vacuum or in the presence of molecular sieves, B(C(6)Cl(5))(3) (6) is completely stable to refluxing toluene/H(2)O for several days. Compounds 3, 5, and 6 have been structurally characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction and represent the first structure determinations for compounds featuring B-C(6)Cl(5) bonds; each exhibits a trigonal planar geometry about B, despite having different ligand sets. The spectroscopic characterization using (11)B, (19)F, and (13)C NMR indicates that the boron center becomes more electron-deficient as n increases. Optimized structures of B(C(6)F(5))(3-n)(C(6)Cl(5))(n) (n = 0-3) using density functional theory (B3LYP/TZVP) are all fully consistent with the experimental structural data. Computed (11)B shielding constants also replicate the experimental trend almost quantitatively, and the computed natural charges on the boron center increase in the order n = 0 (0.81) < n = 1 (0.89) < n = 2 (1.02) < n = 3 (1.16), supporting the hypothesis that electrophilicity increases concomitantly with substitution of C(6)F(5) for C(6)Cl(5). The direct solution cyclic voltammetry of B(C(6)F(5))(3) has been obtained for the first time and electrochemical measurements upon the entire series B(C(6)F(5))(3-n)(C(6)Cl(5))(n) (n = 0-3) corroborate the spectroscopic data, revealing C(6)Cl(5) to be a more electron-withdrawing group than C(6)F(5), with a ca. +200 mV shift observed in the reduction potential per C(6)F(5) group replaced. Conversely, use of the Guttmann-Beckett and Childs' methods to determine Lewis acidity on B(C(6)F(5))(3), 3, and 5 showed this property to diminish with increasing C(6)Cl(5) content, which is attributed to the steric effects of the bulky C(6)Cl(5) substituents. This conflict is ascribed to the minimal structural reorganization in the radical anions upon reduction during cyclic vol