The methylation of reactive boron–halogen compounds with tetramethyl-lead

Abstract

Tetramethyl-lead in the absence of solvent readily replaces boron-attached halogen atoms by methyl groups, and boron trichloride gives trimethylboron quantitatively. Lead(II) chloride is produced when tetraboron tetrachloride is methytated, but reactions with other compounds [e.g., BF₃, BCl₃,NMe₃, B₂Cl₄, and C₂H₂(BCl₂)_x(x= 2 or 4)] produce trimethyl-lead halide, and if this can form stable anionic complexes with the boron compounds concerned methylation is limited.