Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Amine-Boranes using Geminal Phosphino-Boranes

The reaction of the intramolecular frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) tBu2PCH2BPh2 with the amine-boranes NH3 center dot BH3 and Me2NH center dot BH3 leads to the formation of the corresponding FLP-H2 adducts as well as novel five-membered heterocycles that result from capturing the in situ formed amino-borane by a second equivalent of FLP. The sterically more demanding tBu2PCH2BMes2 does not form such a five-membered heterocycle when reacted with Me2NH•BH3 and its H2 adduct liberates dihydrogen at elevated temperatures, promoting the metal-free catalytic dehydrogenation of amine-boranes.