The first example of a catalytic hydroboration of amides for their deoxygenation to amines is reported. This transformation employs an earth-abundant magnesium-based catalyst. Tertiary and secondary amides are reduced to amines at room temperature in the presence of pinacolborane (HBpin) and catalytic amounts of ToMMgMe (ToM = tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate). Catalyst initiation and speciation is complex in this system, as revealed by the effects of concentration and order of addition of the substrate and HBpin in the catalytic experiments. ToMMgH2Bpin, formed from ToMMgMe and HBpin, is ruled out as a possible catalytically relevant species by its reaction with N,N-dimethylbenzamide, which gives Me2NBpin and PhBpin through C-N and C-C bond cleavage pathways, respectively. In that reaction, the catalytic product benzyldimethylamine is formed in only low yield. Alternatively, the reaction of ToMMgMe and N,Ndimethylbenzamide slowly gives decomposition of ToMMgMe over 24 h, and this interaction is also ruled out as a catalytically relevant step. Together, these data suggest that catalytic activation of ToMMgMe requires both HBpin and amide, and ToMMgH2Bpin is not a catalytic intermediate. With information on catalyst activation in hand, tertiary amides are selectively reduced to amines in good yield when catalytic amounts of ToMMgMe are added to a mixture of amide and excess HBpin. In addition, secondary amides are reduced in the presence of 10 mol % ToMMgMe and 4 equiv of HBpin. Functional groups such as cyano, nitro, and azo remain intact under the mild reaction conditions. In addition, kinetic experiments and competition experiments indicate that B-H addition to amide C═O is fast, even faster than addition to ester C═O, and requires participation of the catalyst, whereas the turnover-limiting step of the catalyst is deoxygenation. ABSTRACT:The first example of a catalytic hydroboration of amides for their deoxygenation to amines is reported. This transformation employs an earth-abundant magnesium-based catalyst. Tertiary and secondary amides are reduced to amines at room temperature in the presence of pinacolborane (HBpin) and catalytic amounts of To M MgMe (To M = tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate). Catalyst initiation and speciation is complex in this system, as revealed by the effects of concentration and order of addition of the substrate and HBpin in the catalytic experiments. To M MgH 2 Bpin, formed from To M MgMe and HBpin, is ruled out as a possible catalytically relevant species by its reaction with N,N-dimethylbenzamide, which gives Me 2 NBpin and PhBpin through C−N and C−C bond cleavage pathways, respectively. In that reaction, the catalytic product benzyldimethylamine is formed in only low yield. Alternatively, the reaction of To M MgMe and N,N-dimethylbenzamide slowly gives decomposition of To M

A series of four meta-phenylene-bridged bis-benzimidazolium chlorides were synthesized as precursors to rigid, monoanionic, CCC-pincer N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. For ligands with mesityl, 3,5-xylyl, or 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl side groups, reaction with [Ir(1,5-cyclooctadiene)Cl] 2 in acetonitrile with either excess triethylamine or stoichiometric cesium fluoride as base gave neutral, iridium(III) pincer complexes of the formula Ir(CCC)HCl(MeCN), which were purified by chromatography on silica gel. Metalation failed under these conditions for a 2,6-diisopropylphenyl-substituted derivative. In combination with NaO t Bu, these complexes form active catalysts for the acceptorless dehydrogenation of cyclooctane and for arene C-H borylation in neat arene solvent.

A magnesium hydridoborate compound catalyzes the 1,4-hydrosilylation of α,β-unsaturated esters to give silyl ketene acetals.