In chemistry, a transition metal boryl complex is a molecular species with a formally anionic boron center coordinated to a transition metal. They have the formula LnM-BR2 or LnM-(BR2LB) (L = ligand, R = H, organic substituent, LB = Lewis base). One example is (C5Me5)Mn(CO)2(BH2PMe3) (Me = methyl). Such compounds, especially those derived from catecholborane and the related pinacolborane, are intermediates in transition metal-catalyzed borylation reactions.
Synthesis Oxidative addition is the main route to metal boryl complexes. Both B-H and B-B bonds add to low-valent metal complexes. For example, catecholborane oxidatively adds to Pt(0) to give the boryl hydride.
C6H4O2BH + Pt(PR3)2 → C6H4O2B Pt(PR3)2H Addition of diboron tetrafluoride to Vaska's complex gives the triboryl iridium(III) derivative:
2 B2F4 + IrCl(CO)(PPh3)2 → Ir(BF2)3(CO)(PPh3)2 + ClBF2
References


![Transition metal boryl complex: Structure of (PMe3)4RhB(pinacolate).[3] (color code: pink=B, blue green=Rh, red=O, orange=P).](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/KUHPAG.png/330px-KUHPAG.png?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail)
