Amidinate-substituted boron halides: Synthesis and structure

The synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of the following amidinate-substituted boron halides are reported: [tBuC{N(Cy)}2]BCl(Ph) (1), [nBuC{NCy}2]BCl(Ph) (2), [(Me3Si)2NC{NCy}2]BCl2 (3) and [MeC{NiPr}2]BCl2 (4). Compounds 1, 2, and 3 were prepared via salt metathesis reactions of the appropriate lithium amidinates with PhBCl2 or BCl3. Compound 3 was also prepared by carbodiimide insertion into the B–N bond of (Me3Si)2N–BCl2. The latter method represents the first example of the insertion of a carbodiimide into a B–N moiety. The molecular structures of 1, 2, and 4 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Graphical abstractThe synthesis and molecular structures of novel boron-substituted amidinates are reported. The unprecedented carbodiimide insertion into a boron–nitrogen bond is also discussed.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide