Observation of Elementary Steps in the Catalytic Borane Dehydrocoupling Reaction

Abstract

Step-by-step: Elementary steps of the catalytic borane dehydrocoupling reaction have been observed by using platinum complexes, and key intermediates have been isolated. By combining these observations with DFT calculations, a global mechanism for the catalysis was proposed, and the experimentally observed effect of rigid versus flexible phosphine ligands on the reaction was explained (see scheme).