Facile Syntheses of Trovacene, the Formation of [<i>n</i>]Boratrovacenophanes (<i>n</i> = 1, 2), and Their Reactivity toward [Pt(PEt₃)₄]

Abstract

Trovacene (1) was prepared by two novel procedures, employing readily available vanadium precursors and after dimetalation converted into the [2]boratrovacenophane 2 and the [1]boratrovacenophane 4. The reactivity of the boron−boron bond in 2 toward [Pt(PEt3)4] was studied and afforded the oxidative addition product 3. X-ray crystallographic studies on 2−4 revealed mutual tiltings of the carbocyclic rings of 11.4, 4.98, and 28.23°, respectively.