The boryl complexes of transtion metals have been known for many years and represent a major class
of boron systems coordinated to metal centres.[1] The first simple metal boryl complexes to be structually
characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction were not reported until 1990, indeed, crystal structures
of Ir hydrido boryl complexes that contain a metal-bound BR2 ligand were reported nearly
simultaneously by Baker, Marder et. al. and by Merola et. al.[2] Over the years, the interest in these
complexes is not restricted only to synthesis and characterisation, possible applications make these
compounds rewarding targets. For instance, they play an important role as intermediates in the
transition metal-catalysed hydroboration and also give access to functionalized alkanes by C–H
activation.[3] In this seminar, various synthetic strategies and applications of metal boryl complexes will
be discussed followed by preliminary results of my research work in this field.
References:
[1]. (a) H. Braunschweig, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1998, 37, 1786–1801; (b) T. B. Marder, Z. Lin, in Contemporary Metal
Boron Chemistry I: Borylenes, Boryls, Borane s-complexes, and Borohydrides (Structure and Bonding), Vol. 130,
Springer, Heidelberg, Berlin, 2008, pp. 1–202.
[2]. (a) R. T. Baker, D.W. Ovenall, J. C. Calabrese, S. A. Westcott, N. J. Taylor, I. D.Williams, T. B. Marder, J. Am. Chem. Soc.
1990, 112, 9399–9400; (b) J. R. Knorr, J. S. Merola, Organometallics 1990, 9, 3008–3010.
[3]. (a) H. Braunschweig, M. Colling, Coord. Chem. Rev. 2001, 223, 1–51; (b) D. Mannig, H. Noth, Angew. Chem. 1985, 97,
854–855; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1985, 24, 878 – 879; (c) C. M. Crudden, D. Edwards, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2003,
4695–4712; (d) H. Chen, S. Schlecht, T. C. Semple, J. F. Hartwig, Science 2000, 287, 1995–1997; (e) G. A. Chotana, M.
A. Rak, M. R. Smith III, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 10 539–10544.