Heterolytic H2 cleavage and catalytic hydrogenation by an iron metallaboratrane

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om400281v

Reversible, heterolytic addition of H₂ across an iron-boron bond in a ferraboratrane with formal hydride transfer to the boron gives iron-borohydrido-hydride complexes. These compounds catalyze the hydrogenation of alkenes and alkynes to the respective alkanes. Notably, the boron is capable of acting as a shuttle for hydride transfer to substrates. The results are interesting in the context of heterolytic substrate addition across metal-boron bonds in metallaboratranes and related systems, as well as metal-ligand bifunctional catalysis.