The concept of nonmetallic frustrated cations has been used in small molecule activation. The in situ generated ambiphilic phosphinoborinium cation activated phenyl isocyanate, diisopropylcarbodiimide, and acetonitrile under very mild conditions without any catalyst, yielding single-, double-, or mixed-activation products. Furthermore, the mechanisms of the reactions of the phosphinoborinium cation with small molecules were elucidated...

The first example of CO2 diphosphination is described. Reactions of unsymmetrical diphosphanes with CE2 (E = O, S) catalyzed by BPh3 insert a CE2 molecule into the P-P bond with formation of the products of the general formula R2P-E-C(=E)-PR2. The obtained CO2 adducts arise from synergistic interaction of diphosphane and borane with CO2 molecule.

Herein, we present the first example of the activation of small molecules by P-B-P bond systems. The reactivity study involves reactions of two selected diphosphinoboranes, (tBu2P)2BPh (1’) and (Cy2P)2BNiPr2 (2), that differ in terms of their structural and electronic properties for the activation of dihydrogen, carbon dioxide, and phenyl isocyanate. Diphosphinoborane 1’ activates H2 under very mild conditions in the absence of...