C-C and C-N Bond Activation, Lewis-Base Coordination and One- and Two-Electron Oxidation at a Linear Aminoborylene.

A cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene (CAAC)-stabilized dicoordinate aminoborylene is synthesized by the twofold reduction of a [(CAAC)BCl 2 (TMP)] (TMP=2,6-tetramethylpiperidyl) precursor. NMR-spectroscopic, X-ray crystallographic and computational analyses confirm the cumulenic nature of the central C=B=N moiety. Irradiation of [(CAAC)B(TMP)] (2) resulted in an intramolecular C-C bond activation, leading to a doubly-fused C 10 BN heterocycle, while the reaction with acetonitrile resulted in an aryl migration from the CAAC to the acetonitrile nitrogen atom, concomitant with tautomerization of the latter to a boron-bound allylamino ligand. One-electron oxidation of 2 with CuX (X=Cl, Br) afforded the corresponding amino(halo)boryl radicals, which were characterized by EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Placing 2 under an atmosphere of CO afforded the tricoordinate (CAAC,CO)-stabilized aminoborylene. Finally, the twofold oxidation of 2 with chalcogens led, in the case of N 2 O and sulfur, to the splitting of the B-C CAAC bond and formation of the 2,4-diamino-1,3,2,4-dichalcogenadiboretanes and CAAC-chalcogen adducts, whereas with selenium a monomeric boraselenone was isolated, which showed some degree of B-Se multiple bonding.