The Stabilisation of Non-Classical Boron Architectures by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Synthesis and Potential Applications

• Applicant: Dr. René Frank
• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2018 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 410908941

The project is based on our previously published boryl anions of type NHC-B(CN)2- (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene). Since the chemistry of the well accessible boryl anions with boron centred nucleophilicity is currently unexplored, the proposal is aimed to such investigation.i) Reactions with hard / soft electrophiles of variable steric bulkAmbident behaviour (B- or N-nucleophilicity) of the boryl aninons can be expectedii) Preliminary experiments from our laboratories gave boraketenimines [also accessible acc. to i)] besides the mentioned boryl anions as a result of similar precursors. Additionallythe synthesis of boraketens is attempted.iii) Boraketenes and boraketenimines obtained will in turn be investigated for their further reactivity. Cycloaddition reactions will lead to boracycles displaying interesting luminescent behaviour. Additionally the incorporation of NHC-containinh boron moieties into metal complexes can be envisaged. With carefully chosen substrates catalytic cycles can be expected.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants