Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.134, No.38, 15728-15731, 2012
Activation of Hydrogen and Hydrogenation Catalysis by a Borenium Cation
The readily prepared borenium salt [(IiPr(2))(BC8H14)][B(C6F5)(4)] (2) [IiPr(2) = C3H2(NiPr)(2)] is shown to activate H-2 heterolytically in the presence of tBu(3)P. Compound 2 also acts as a catalyst for the metal-free hydrogenation of imines and enamines at room temperature.