Volume 63, Issue 48 e202412307
Research Article

Experimental Observation of a Terminal Borylene-Dinitrogen Adduct via Cleavage of a 1,2,3,4,5-Diboratriazoline

Dr. Arumugam Jayaraman

Dr. Arumugam Jayaraman

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 89154 Las Vegas, United States

These authors contributed equally.

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Dr. Benedikt Ritschel

Dr. Benedikt Ritschel

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

These authors contributed equally.

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Dr. Merle Arrowsmith

Dr. Merle Arrowsmith

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Christian Markl

Christian Markl

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Malte Jürgensen

Malte Jürgensen

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Anel Halkić

Anel Halkić

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Yannick Konrad

Yannick Konrad

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Dr. Andreas Stoy

Dr. Andreas Stoy

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Dr. Krzysztof Radacki

Dr. Krzysztof Radacki

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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Prof. Dr. Holger Braunschweig

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Holger Braunschweig

Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Institute for Sustainable Chemistry & Catalysis with Boron, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

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First published: 26 August 2024
Citations: 2

Graphical Abstract

The reaction of a doubly cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene (CAAC)-stabilized dicyanodiborene with organic azides yields stable CAAC-iminoborane adducts. Experimental and computational data confirm the involvement of a relatively long-lived terminal borylene-dinitrogen adduct (i.e. diazoborane), [(CAAC)B(CN)(η1-N2)] as a key intermediate in the reaction.

Abstract

While azides do not react with simple alkenes except under harsh conditions, a diboron alkene analogue, the doubly cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene (CAAC)-stabilized dicyanodiborene 1, reacts spontaneously with organic azides (7–10 equiv.) at room temperature to yield two equivalents of stable CAAC-imino(cyano)boranes (2-R). NMR-spectroscopic monitoring of the reaction mixtures shows the initial formation of a 1 : 1 mixture of 2-R and a relatively long-lived intermediate (Int), which in the presence of excess azide is converted into a second equivalent of 2-R. In the absence of excess azide, however, Int decomposes to 3, the product of an intramolecular C−H activation by a putative dicoordinate borylene intermediate “(CAAC)B(CN)”. Mechanistic insights from trapping experiments, NMR-spectroscopic and high-resolution mass spectrometry data, as well as DFT computations reveal that Int is the terminal borylene end-on-dinitrogen adduct [(CAAC)B(CN)(η1-N2)]. The formation of the iminoboranes 2-R from diborene 1 and RN3 proceeds via an azide-diborene Huisgen-type [3+2] cycloaddition reaction, followed by a retro-[3+2] cycloaddition, yielding 2-R and [(CAAC)B(CN)(η1-N2)]. The latter then undergoes either N2 extrusion and intramolecular C−H activation to generate 3, or a Staudinger-type reaction with a second equivalent of azide to generate a second equivalent of the iminoborane 2-R.

Conflict of Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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