Electrochemical and chemical oxidation of [BH3(CN)]– to [BH3(CN)-BH2(CN)]–; electrochemical preparation of [Fe{BH3(CN)}2(NCCH3)4]

Abstract

The electrolysis of an acetonitrile solution of Na[BH₃(CN)] at an iron electrode yields [Fe{BH₃(CN)}₂(NCCH₃)₄], but at molybdenum or vanadium anodes Na[BH₃(CN)] is oxidised to Na[BH₃(CN)BH₂(CN)]. Chemical oxidation of Na[BH₃(CN)] using either Hg₂Cl₂ or HgCl₂ also gives Na[BH₃(CN)BH₂(CN)], together with oligomeric BH₂(CN) in the case of HgCl₂.