Müller versus Gutmann-Beckett for assessing the Lewis acidity of boranes

Chem Commun (Camb). 2025 Jul 3;61(55):10182-10185. doi: 10.1039/d5cc02299a.

Abstract

A 19F NMR spectroscopic probe, p-fluorobenzonitrile, is used to evaluate the relative Lewis acidity of boranes. The resulting scale is compared with the Gutmann-Beckett method which uses triethylphosphine oxide as a 31P NMR probe and both are compared to computed fluoride affinities.