Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (CAS# 1109-15-5) is a useful research chemical, used as a catalyst in the metal-free catalytic reductive cleavage of enol ethers via proposed mechanism of tandem hydrosilylation and silicon-​assisted β-​elimination. Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane also appears as an ancillary ligand in luminescent isocyano Rh(I) complexes.

white powder

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane is used as an excellent activator component in homogeneous Ziegler-Natta chemistry. It is also used as a catalyst for reductions, alkylations, hydrometallation reactions and catalyzed aldol-type reactions. It is a useful Lewis acid and catalyzes hydrosilylation of aldehydes. Further, it is used in olefin polymerization catalysis. It serves as a reagent in the preparation of organometallic complexes. In addition to this, it is useful as polymerization catalysts and used to study the heterolytic cleavage of dihydrogen in associated with tri-tert-butylphosphine.

Catalyst in organic transformations; cocatalyst with group IV metallocene alkyls in olefin polymerization.

B(C₆F₅)₃ is a Lewis acid, stronger than the inorganic parent molecule BF₃. In contrast to the prominent Lewis acids, the pentafluorides of the heavier elements of group 15, B(C₆F₅)₃ has no oxidizing properties. B(C₆F₅)₃ forms adducts with neutral and weaker Lewis bases. B(C₆F₅)₃ has the capability to easily accept anionic ligands bonded to metals.

A three-necked vial (250 mL) was charged with pentafluorobromobenzene (0.09 mol, 22.2 g) followed by 2-methyltetrahydrofuran Furan (100 mL). n-BuLi (2.5 M, 0.09 mol, 36 mL) was added dropwise at 25 C and reacted for 6.0h After that, trimethyl borate (0.03 mol, 3.1 g) was added dropwise at 25 C for 10 min. at 25 C . After 16h of reaction at 25C, the reaction was monitored by GC. The reaction solution was poured into water and extracted twice with 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, . The organic layers were combined, washed twice with water and once with saturated saline, the organic layer was dried with sodium sulfate, and the was evaporated under reduced pressure. 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and recovered 2-methyltetrahydrofuran to obtain the crude product, which was recrystallized with n-hexane to obtain trans-(pentafluorophenyltetrazolium)boron (0.0049 mol, 2.48 g) in a yield of 16.2%.