Scope and mechanism of nitrile dihydroboration mediated by a β-diketiminate manganese hydride catalyst

Chem Commun (Camb). 2020 Apr 11;56(28):3959-3962. doi: 10.1039/c9cc09921b. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Abstract

The manganese hydride dimer, [(2,6-iPr2PhBDI)Mn(μ-H)]2, was found to mediate nitrile dihydroboration, rendering it the first manganese catalyst for this transformation. Stoichiometric experiments revealed that benzonitrile insertion affords [(2,6-iPr2PhBDI)Mn(μ-NCHC6H5)]2 en route to N,N-diborylamine formation. Density functional theory calculations reveal the precise mechanism and demonstrate that catalysis is promoted by monomeric species.