Frustrated Lewis pairs incorporating the bifunctional Lewis acid 1,1'-fc{B(C 6 F 5 ) 2 } 2 : reactivity towards small molecules.

Applications of the bifunctional ferrocenediyl Lewis acid 1,1'-fc{B(C6 F5 )2 }2 in frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) chemistry are described. The coordination (or otherwise) of a range of sterically encumbered C-, N- and P-centred Lewis bases has been investigated, with lutidine, tetramethylpiperidine, PPh3 , Pt Bu3 and the expanded ring carbene 6Dipp being found to be sterically incapable of coordinate bond formation. The chemistry of a range of these FLPs in the presence of H2 O, NH3 , CO2 and cyclohexylisocyanate (CyNCO) has been investigated, with the patterns of reactivity identified including simple coordination chemistry, E-H bond cleavage and C-B insertion.