The silver(I) complex [HB{3-(CF 3 ),5-(CH 3 )Pz} 3 ]AgNCCH 3 supported by a partially fluorinated scorpionate ligand.

Tris(pyrazolyl)borates are used extensively in metal coordination chemistry and belong to a class of ligands generally referred to as scorpionates. The steric and electronic properties of these ligands can be modified quite easily by varying the substituents on the 3-, 4-, and 5-positions of the pyrazolyl moieties on the B atom. Fluorinated tris(pyrazolyl)borates are useful in the stabilization of rare silver(I) complexes. The silver(I) adduct (acetonitrile-κN){tris[5-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazol-1-yl-κN2 ]hydroborato}silver(I), [Ag(C15 H13 BF9 N6 )(CH3 CN)] or [HB{3-(CF3 ),5-(CH3 )Pz}3 ]AgNCCH3 , was obtained by treating [HB{3-(CF3 ),5-(CH3 )Pz}3 ]Na with CF3 SO3 Ag in the presence of acetonitrile, and was isolated in 85% yield. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the AgI center has a pseudo-tetrahedral all-nitrogen coordination sphere, and is supported by a tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligand that binds to the AgI center in a κ3 -fashion.