Unlocking Lewis acidity < em > via < /em > the redox non-innocence of a phenothiazine-substituted borane

We describe a new approach to enhancing Lewis acidity, through the single electron oxidation of a borane with a pendant phenothiazine. This results in the formation of a persistent radical cation with increased electrophilicity. Computational and experimental studies indicate this radical cation significantly enhances the Lewis acidity and catalytic activity compared to its neutral analog. These results illustrate the viability of this approach in turning on the Lewis acidity of relatively inert boranes.PMID:38586997 | DOI:10.1039/d4cc01059k

Source: Chemical Communications - April 8, 2024 Category: Chemistry Authors: Taylor P L Cosby Avik Bhattacharjee Samantha K Henneberry Jesse LeBlanc Christopher B Caputo Source Type: research