Frustrated Lewis pair chemistry of CO

Abstract

Transition metal species readily capture and react with CO as the metal can act both as an acceptor and donor of electron density. In contrast, such a situation is less common in the main group and thus far fewer examples of main group CO adducts and their subsequent reactivity have been studied. In this review, we focus on the application of the concept of Frustrated Lewis Pairs (FLPs) to develop main group chemistry of CO. Specifically, we address reactions of FLPs that illustrate the ability to capture CO in addition to subsequent reactivity involving reduction with a variety of reagents. These developments illustrate that the donation and acceptance of electron density provided by FLPs is an alternative strategy to advance the reactivity of CO. Such insights augur well for future advances in the homogeneous chemistry of CO.