Reduction of Dioxygen by Radical/B(<i>p</i>‐C₆F₄X)₃ Pairs to Give Isolable Bis(borane)superoxide Compounds

Abstract

Triplet dioxygen was reduced by TEMPO or trityl radicals in the presence of two molar equivalents of the strong B(p-C₆ F₄ X)₃ (X: F or H) boron Lewis acids under mild conditions to give the bis(borane)superoxide systems 2. The sensitive radical anion species were isolated and characterized by methods including X-ray crystal structure analysis and EPR spectroscopy.