Homolytic cleavage of diboron(4) compounds using diazabutadiene derivatives

Abstract

Diazabutadiene derivatives have been identified as a distinct class of reagents, capable of cleaving B–B bonds of diboron(4). The cleavage is accompanied by the formation of a new CC bond and the product geometry is highly dependent on the substituents on the DAB units. Preliminary mechanistic investigations suggest a concerted mechanism and the absence of any radical intermediates.