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JoVE Science Education Inorganic Chemistry
Lewis Acid-Base Interaction in Ph3P-BH3
  • 00:00Overview
  • 01:18Lewis Acid-Base Interactions in Ph3P-BH3
  • 03:15Schlenk Line Set Up
  • 03:54Synthesis of Borane Triphenylphosphine Complex
  • 05:39Work Up, Isolation, and 31P-NMR
  • 06:21Results
  • 07:08Applications
  • 08:37Summary

路易斯酸碱交互作用在 Ph 值3P BH3

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Overview

资料来源: 德克萨斯州 #38 大学化学系

化学的目标之一是使用模型来解释趋势并提供对反应物的特性的洞察力。从古希腊时期起, 物质就被归类为酸和碱, 但酸和碱的定义在过去的几年里已经被修改和扩展。1

古希腊人用味觉来描述物质, 并将酸定义为酸, 如柠檬汁和醋。”酸” 一词来源于拉丁术语 “酸尝”。基地的特点是他们的能力, 以抵消或中和酸。第一个基地被描绘的是那些灰烬从火, 与油脂混合做肥皂。事实上, “碱性” 一词来源于阿拉伯语中的 “焙烧”。事实上, 从远古时代就已经知道, 酸和碱可以结合起来给盐和水。

第一个广泛使用的酸的描述是瑞典化学家, Svante 阿伦尼乌斯, 谁在1894年定义了酸作为物质离解在水中给离子离子, 和基地作为物质离解在水中给氢氧化物离子。因此, 这一定义仅限于含水的酸, 并要求酸的贡献质子。2例如, 在水中, HCl 是一种酸性, 因为它离解给离子离子 (H3O)+和氯离子。三氯化硼不会被认为是酸, 在水中它水解给 B (OH)3和 3 HCl;产品 HCl 虽然是一种阿伦尼乌斯酸。

在 1923年, 约翰哥白尼 Brønsted 和马丁. 劳瑞独立地定义了酸, 并根据他们捐赠和接受氢离子或质子的能力。由此来了酸碱共轭对的概念, 以及在除水以外的溶剂中对酸和碱的定义的扩展。例如, 铵是一种酸, 因为它可以捐献一个质子并产生氨。氨水可以接受质子, 给铵。因此, 氨是铵的共轭基。这种酸碱反应可能发生在水, 氨, 或其他溶剂。

这个视频涉及的酸碱定义的美国化学家, 吉尔伯特 n 刘易斯, 谁也定义酸和基地在1923年。事实上, 这是相同的刘易斯从刘易斯点结构一般化学。他的方法重点不是酸和碱的能力, 以捐赠和接受质子, 而是他们的能力, 接受和捐赠电子对, 分别。这包括 Brønsted-劳瑞定义, 因为 H+在质子期间接受来自 Brønsted 基的电子对。然而, 它极大地扩展了酸的定义, 现在包含了金属离子和主基团化合物。在这里, 我们比较的31p 核磁共振的刘易斯酸碱加合 Ph3p BH3 , 以释放三苯基膦。

Principles

Procedure

1. 合成硼烷三苯基膦络合物的 Schlenk 线的设置 注: 有关更详细的程序, 请查看 “Schlenk 线转移溶剂” 视频在有机化学要点系列)。在进行这项试验之前, 应审查 Schlenk 线的安全。使用前应检查玻璃器皿中的星形裂纹。如果使用液态 N2, 则应注意确保 O2在 Schlenk 线陷印中不凝结。在液体 N2温度下, O2在有机溶剂存在下凝结并呈爆炸性。如果怀疑 O<s…

Results

Borane triphenylphosphine complex:

31P NMR (chloroform-d, 500 MHz, δ, ppm): 20.7 (broad doublet)

Triphenylphosphine:

31P NMR (chloroform-d, 500 MHz, δ, ppm): -5.43

The 31P NMR signal of the borane triphenylphosphine complex is downfield relative to free triphenylphosphine. This is consistent with removal of electron density from the phosphorous center, which is deshielded upon adduct formation.

Applications and Summary

The borane triphenylphosphine complex is an example of a Lewis-adduct, whereby a Lewis base donates electrons to a Lewis acid. Though BH3 and PPh3 would not necessarily be considered an acid and base, respectively, using other acid-base theories, Lewis acid-base theory predicts correctly that the molecules form a stable adduct.

Small Molecule Activation:

While transition metal ions have historically been regarded as Lewis acids, the notion that they can serve as Lewis bases is being advanced. For example, Jonas Peters and co-workers at Caltech have shown that metal-borane complexes, which can donate electrons to the Lewis acid borane (a Z-type ligand), can give rise to novel reactivity. A nickel borane species was shown to reversibly add H2, heterolytically cleaving the H-H bond.4 The H2-added species is a catalyst for hydrogenations of olefins. The group also reported that iron-borane complexes can catalytically reduce nitrogen to ammonia.5 This was the first example of an iron-based homogeneous catalyst for this challenging yet critical reaction.

Frustrated Lewis Pairs:

Another current area of research is that of "Frustrated Lewis Pairs," or FLPs. These are Lewis acid-base "adducts" that due to steric reasons, cannot form a dative bond.6 Douglas Stephan and co-workers from the University of Toronto pondered what reactivity such adducts would have, particularly with the idea of using them for small molecule activation and catalysis. Thinking about transition metal complexes, which can both accept and donate electron density to and from substrates, they hypothesized donor/acceptor properties of what they termed "Frustrated Lewis Pairs" might have with regards to reactivity.

In 2006, Stephan and co-workers reported in Science that the zwitterionic (C6H2Me3)2PH(C6F4)BH(C6F5)2 reversibly loses H2 to give (C6H2Me3)2P(C6F4)B(C6F5)2.7 This was the first example of reversible H2 activation with main group elements, and other examples followed (Figure 3). This study paved the way for the development of FLP research. Since then, FLPs have been developed that are competent hydrogenation catalysts, and can activate a variety of small molecules including CO2. This is an active and exciting new area of research.

Figure 4
Figure 3. Early examples of reactivity of FLPs with H2. Adapted from reference 5.

References

  1. Lesney, Today's Chemist at Work, 2003, 47-48.
  2. Miessler, P. J. Fischer and D. A. Tarr, Inorganic Chemistry, Pearson, 2014.
  3. McNulty, J.; Zhou, Y. Tetrahedron Letters, 2004, 45, 407-409.
  4. Harman and J. C. Peters, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 5080-5082.
  5. Anderson, J. Rittle and J. C. Peters, Nature, 2013, 501, 84-87.
  6. Stephan, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 10018-10032.
  7. Welch, R. R. S. Juan, J. D. Masuda and D. W. Stephan, Science, 2006, 314, 1124-1126.

Transcript

In chemistry, acid-base models are used to explain trends in reactivity and characteristics of reactants, which is important when designing a synthesis.

In 1894, Svante Arrhenius pioneered the concept of acids and bases, describing them specifically as substances that dissociate in water, to yield hydronium or hydroxide ions, respectively.

In 1923, Johannes Brønsted and Thomas Lowry defined acids and bases by their ability to donate and accept hydrogen ions in different solvents, creating the concept of acid-base conjugate pairs.

In the same year Gilbert Lewis proposed an alternative, defining acids and bases by their abilities to donate and accept electron pairs, instead of protons. This model expanded the application of acids and bases, taking into account metal ions and main-group compounds.

This video will illustrate the Lewis acid-base concept on the basis of a triphenylphosphine borane complex, its synthesis, and analysis.

When using the Lewis Acid-and Base model, the molecular structure needs to be considered to identify whether the molecule will donate or accept an electron pair.

Therefore, start with the structure analysis of triphenylphosphine and borane using the VSEPR theory, and then determine the Lewis acid and base.

Triphenylphosphine has three covalent bonds between the phosphorous atom and a carbon in each of the three phenyl rings. Two free electrons are left as a free electron pair to fill the octet.

Furthermore, triphenylphosphine is sp3 hybridized at the phosphorous center and has a tetrahedral electronic geometry. The lone-pair of electrons residing in an sp3 orbital can be donated to another molecule, classifying triphenylphosphine as a Lewis base.

On the other hand, borane has three covalent bonds between the boron and the three hydrogen atoms. Since the borane center has only six valence electrons it does not fulfill the octet rule and is therefore electron-deficient.

The geometry is trigonal planar and the bonds are sp2 hybridized. The lone p orbital is empty, and ready to accept electrons, which classifies borane as a Lewis acid.

If triphenylphosphine donates its two electrons to the empty p orbital in borane, it leads to a change of the hybridization from sp2 to sp3 and one can propose that a stable Lewis acid-base adduct will form.

This type of bond between a Lewis-acid and base is often called a coordinative covalent, or a dative bond, which is indicated using an arrow.

Now that you’ve learned the principles of Lewis acids-and bases, let’s investigate whether a stable adduct will form between triphenylphosphine and borane.

Before you start, make sure you are familiar with the Schlenk Line and how to use it for solvent transfer. Wear appropriate PPE and inspect all glassware for star cracks.

Close the pressure release valve, turn on the N2 and vacuum pump. Assemble the cold trap and fill it with dry ice/acetone, once minimum pressure is reached. This way you minimize the risk of O2 condensation in the trap, which is explosive in presence of organic solvents.

Now, let’s start the synthesis by adding 5.3 g of triphenylphosphine to a 200 mL Schlenk flask labeled as A. Prepare Schlenk flask A for the cannula transfer of solvent.

Add 20 mL of dry and degassed THF to Schlenk flask A using cannula transfer. Stir the solution to dissolve triphenylphosphine. Meanwhile, prepare a second Schlenk flask B containing 1.15 g of NaBH4 for cannula transfer.

Cool both Schlenk flasks A and B in an ice bath. Using the cannula, transfer the contents of flask A into flask B. Next, replace the rubber septum of Schlenk B with an addition funnel, purge the funnel, and fit it with a new septum.

Next, add 8 mL of dry and degassed THF to the addition funnel via cannula transfer. With the system under N2, remove the septum from the addition funnel, add 2 mL of glacial acetic acid, and put the septum back on. Now, add the THF and glacial acid mixture drop wise to Schlenk flask B, while stirring vigorously.

After the addition, allow the reaction to warm up to room temperature and stir for an extra hour under N2. Then close the N2 supply, remove the addition funnel, and quench the reaction slowly with 20 mL of H2O.

Next, add a mixture of acetic acid in water slowly to the reaction, inducing product precipitation. Cool the flask, if no precipitate forms.

Filter the product by suction through a fritted funnel. Wash the resulting solid with 20 mL of ice cold water, and transfer the precipitate to a flask for drying.

Lastly, prepare an NMR sample of the starting material and the isolated product in CDCl3. Collect a 31P NMR for each sample.

Now let’s analyze how the phosphorous signal of triphenylphosphine is affected upon the coordination to borane in the product using the NMR.

Free triphenylphosphine shows as signal at -5.43 ppm, while the signal of the borane triphenylphosphine complex is shifted downfield to 20.7 ppm. This is consistent with the removal of electron density from the phosphorous center, which is deshielded upon Lewis adduct formation.

This observation reinforces the Lewis acid-base theory predicting that borane, as a Lewis acid, and triphenylphosphine, as a Lewis base, will form a stable adduct.

The Lewis acid-base model is used to gain more insight into molecular characteristics, which is necessary when designing new syntheses in organic and inorganic chemistry for molecules including transition metals.

Historically, transition metal ions have been regarded as Lewis acids, however, they can also serve as Lewis bases. For example, metal-borane complexes can participate in important transformations such as hydrogenation of olefins and nitrogen fixation.

Olefin hydrogenation can be performed using a new catalyst based on a nickel borane species. This species cleaves the H-H bond heterolytically and reversibly adds the H2 to the olefin transforming it to an alkane.

Furthermore, an iron-borane complex homogeneous catalyst can catalytically reduce nitrogen to ammonia, which is a critical reaction in the chemical industry.

Frustrated Lewis Pairs, or FLPs, are Lewis acid-base adducts, which cannot form a dative bond, due to steric hindrance.

The reactivity of frustrated Lewis pairs has found application in the development of new hydrogenation catalysts. For instance, it was shown that a zwitterionic complex, which is based on main group elements, reversibly loses H2 to give this product. This study pioneered the development of FLP research.

You’ve just watched JoVE’s introduction to the Lewis acid-base theory. You should now understand the definition of Lewis acids- and bases, how to synthesize a Lewis acid-base complex, and where these types of complexes are applied. Thanks for watching!

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JoVE Science Education Database. JoVE Science Education. Lewis Acid-Base Interaction in Ph3P-BH3. JoVE, Cambridge, MA, (2023).