Lewis Acid Triggered Reactivity of a Lewis Base Stabilized Scandium-Terminal Imido Complex: C–H Bond Activation, Cycloaddition, and Dehydrofluorination
Abstract
A stable scandium-terminal imido complex is activated by borane to form an unsaturated terminal imido complex by removing the coordinated Lewis base, 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, from the metal center. The ensuing terminal imido intermediate can exist as a THF adduct and/or undergo cycloaddition reaction with an internal alkyne, C–H activation of a terminal alkene, and dehydrofluorination of fluoro-substituted benzenes or alkanes at room temperature. DFT investigations further highlight the ease of C–H activation for terminal alkene and fluoroarene. They also shed light on the mechanistic aspects of these two reactions.