Dehydrogenation of iron amido-borane and resaturation of the imino-borane complex.

We report on the first isolation and structural characterization of an iron phosphinoimino-borane complex Cp*Fe(η2-H2B[double bond, length as m-dash]NC6H4PPh2) by dehydrogenation of iron amido-borane precursor Cp*Fe(η1-H3B-NHC6H4PPh2). Significantly, regeneration of the amido-borane complex has been realized by protonation of the iron(ii) imino-borane to the amino-borane intermediate [Cp*Fe(η2-H2B-NHC6H4PPh2)]+ followed by hydride transfer. These new iron species are efficient catalysts for 1,2-selective transfer hydrogenation of quinolines with ammonia borane.