title: Exploring structural and electronic effects in three isomers of tris{bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl}borane: towards the combined electrochemical-frustrated Lewis pair activation of H2.
abstract: Three structural isomers of tris{bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl}borane have been studied as the acidic component of frustrated Lewis pairs. While the 3,5-substituted isomer is already known to heterolytically cleave H2 to generate a bridging-hydride; ortho-substituents in the 2,4- and 2,5-isomers quench such reactivity through electron donation into the vacant boron pz orbital and steric blocking of the boron centre; as shown by electrochemical, structural and computational studies. Electrochemical studies of the corresponding borohydrides identify that the two-electron oxidation of terminal-hydrides occurs at more positive potentials than observed for [HB(C6F5)3](-), while the bridging-hydride oxidizes at a higher potential still, comparable to that of free H2.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK. r.blagg@uea.ac.uk elliot.lawrence@uea.ac.uk g.wildgoose@uea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Blagg
authors.forename: Elliot J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Resner
authors.forename: Vasily S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Oganesyan
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Herrington
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: Gregory G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wildgoose