Hydrogen cleavage by solid-phase frustrated Lewis pairs

Abstract

We report the direct synthesis of a solid-phase frustrated Lewis pair (s-FLP) by combining a silica-supported Lewis acid ([triple bond, length as m-dash]SiOB(C6F5)2, s-BCF) with a Lewis base (tri-tert-butylphosphine, (t)Bu3P) to give [[triple bond, length as m-dash]SiOB(C6F5)2][(t)Bu3P]. Reaction of this s-FLP with H2 under mild conditions led to heterolytic H-H bond cleavage and the formation of [[triple bond, length as m-dash]SiOB(H)(C6F5)2][(t)Bu3PH].