Tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenylborate is the inaugural member of a robust class of facially capping ligands that have been proposed as substitutes for tris(pyrazolyl)borates. While tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenylborates are popular ligands, particularly for spin-state tuning applications and for enforcing unique geometries within four coordinate metal complexes, the role of the negative borate charge on donation into phosphorus-bound metal centers has not been explored systematically. We are interested in whether tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenylborate donation can be inductively modulated by introducing electron donating and withdrawing groups at the bridgehead boron phenyl substituent. To this end, we report two new ligands with 3,5-dimethylphenyl and 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl substituents.  The syntheses and complete characterization of these new borates will be discussed, along with an initial study to assess potential variation in donation from these borates towards zerovalent group VI metal fragments.

Tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenylborates with electron donating and withdrawing groups at the bridgehead boron phenyl substituent

255th National Meeting (2018)

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