Selective monoborylation of methane by metal–organic framework confined mononuclear pyridylimine-iridium(i) hydride

Abstract

Chemoselective monoborylation of methane in high yield is a grand challenge. We have developed a metal–organic framework confined pyridylimine-iridium hydride catalyst, which is efficient in methane C–H borylation using bis(pinacolato)diboron to afford methyl boronic acid pinacol ester in 98% GC-yield at 130 °C with a TON of 196. Mechanistic investigation suggests the oxidative addition of methane to Ir^III(Bpin)₂(H) species to form Ir^V(Bpin)₂(CH₃)(H)₂ as the turnover limiting step.