Iridium-catalysed dehydrocoupling of aryl phosphine–borane adducts: synthesis and characterisation of high molecular weight poly(phosphinoboranes)

Abstract

The thermal dehydrogenative coupling of aryl phosphine–borane adducts with iridium complexes bearing a bis(phosphinite) pincer ligand is reported. This catalysis produces high molecular weight poly(phosphinoboranes) [ArPH–BH₂]_n (Ar = Ph, ^pTol, Mes). Furthermore, we investigated the reactivity of these pincer complexes towards primary phosphines and their respective borane adducts on a stoichiometric scale.