Using the Secondary PH/BH Functional Groups of an Active Geminal Frustrated Lewis Pair for Carbon Monoxide Reduction and Reactions with Nitriles and Isonitriles.

Reaction of the secondary alkynyl(Mes*)PH phosphane 2 with (Fmes)BH2 ⋅SMe2 gives the geminal PH/BH frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) 3. The PH and the BH functions are jointly used in the reduction of carbon monoxide under mild reaction conditions to give the [P]-CH2 -O-[B] product. A subsequent cycloaddition sequence results in the liberation of formaldehyde. The FLP 3 reacts with benzonitrile to give a P-benzamidine, and it couples two isonitriles at the FLP framework.