@article{BruecknerRitschelJimenez‐Hallaetal.2023, author = {Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Ritschel, Benedikt and Jim{\´e}nez-Halla, J. Oscar C. and Fantuzzi, Felipe and Duwe, Dario and Markl, Christian and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Dietz, Maximilian and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Metal-Free Intermolecular C-H Borylation of N-Heterocycles at B-B Multiple Bonds}, series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, volume = {62}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, number = {5}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202213284}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-312385}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Carbene-stabilized diborynes of the form LBBL (L=N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) or cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene (CAAC)) induce rapid, high yielding, intermolecular ortho-C-H borylation at N-heterocycles at room temperature. A simple pyridyldiborene is formed when an NHC-stabilized diboryne is combined with pyridine, while a CAAC-stabilized diboryne leads to activation of two pyridine molecules to give a tricyclic alkylideneborane, which can be forced to undergo a further H-shift resulting in a zwitterionic, doubly benzo-fused 1,3,2,5-diazadiborinine by heating. Use of the extended N-heteroaromatic quinoline leads to a borylmethyleneborane under mild conditions via an unprecedented boron-carbon exchange process.}, language = {en} } @article{LuJayaramanFantuzzietal.2022, author = {Lu, Wei and Jayaraman, Arumugam and Fantuzzi, Felipe and Dewhurst, Rian D. and H{\"a}rterich, Marcel and Dietz, Maximilian and Hagspiel, Stephan and Krummenbacher, Ivo and Hammond, Kai and Cui, Jingjing and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {An unsymmetrical, cyclic diborene based on a chelating CAAC ligand and its small-molecule activation and rearrangement chemistry}, series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, volume = {61}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202113947}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256576}, year = {2022}, abstract = {A one-pot synthesis of a CAAC-stabilized, unsymmetrical, cyclic diborene was achieved via consecutive two-electron reduction steps from an adduct of CAAC and B\(_2\)Br\(_4\)(SMe\(_2\))\(_2\). Theoretical studies revealed that this diborene has a considerably smaller HOMO-LUMO gap than those of reported NHC- and phosphine-supported diborenes. Complexation of the diborene with [AuCl(PCy\(_3\))] afforded two diborene-Au\(^I\) π complexes, while reaction with DurBH\(_2\), P\(_4\) and a terminal acetylene led to the cleavage of B-H, P-P, and C-C π bonds, respectively. Thermal rearrangement of the diborene gave an electron-rich cyclic alkylideneborane, which readily coordinated to Ag\(^I\) via its B=C double bond.}, language = {en} } @article{BruecknerFantuzziStennettetal.2021, author = {Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Fantuzzi, Felipe and Stennett, Tom E. and Krummenacher, Ivo and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Engels, Bernd and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Isolation of neutral, mono-, and dicationic B\(_2\)P\(_2\) rings by diphosphorus addition to a boron-boron triple bond}, series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, volume = {60}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, number = {24}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202102218}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256451}, pages = {13661-13665}, year = {2021}, abstract = {The NHC-stabilised diboryne (B\(_2\)(SIDep)\(_2\); SIDep=1,3-bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) undergoes a high-yielding P-P bond activation with tetraethyldiphosphine at room temperature to form a B\(_2\)P\(_2\) heterocycle via a diphosphoryldiborene by 1,2-diphosphination. The heterocycle can be oxidised to a radical cation and a dication, respectively, depending on the oxidant used and its counterion. Starting from the planar, neutral 1,3-bis(alkylidene)-1,3-diborata-2,4-diphosphoniocyclobutane, each oxidation step leads to decreased B-B distances and loss of planarity by cationisation. X-ray analyses in conjunction with DFT and CASSCF/NEVPT2 calculations reveal closed-shell singlet, butterfly-shaped structures for the NHC-stabilised dicationic B\(_2\)P\(_2\) rings, with their diradicaloid, planar-ring isomers lying close in energy.}, language = {en} } @article{BruecknerHessStennettetal.2021, author = {Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Heß, Merlin and Stennett, Tom E. and Rempel, Anna and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Synthesis of Boron Analogues of Enamines via Hydroamination of a Boron-Boron Triple Bond}, series = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, volume = {60}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, number = {2}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202012101}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-240669}, pages = {736-741}, year = {2021}, abstract = {An N-heterocyclic-carbene-stabilized diboryne undergoes rapid, high-yielding and catalyst-free hydroamina- tion reactions with primary amines, yielding 1-amino-2-hydro- diborenes, which can be considered boron analogues of enamines. The electronics of the organic substituent at nitrogen influence the structure and further reactivity of the diborene product. With electron-rich anilines, a second hydroamination can occur at the diborene to generate 1,1-diamino-2,2-dihy- drodiboranes. With isopropylamine, the electronic influence of the alkyl substituent upon the diborene leads to an unprece- dented boron-mediated intramolecular N-dearylation reaction of an N-heterocyclic carbene unit.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{HermannArrowsmithTrujilloGonzalezetal.2020, author = {Hermann, Alexander and Arrowsmith, Merle and Trujillo-Gonzalez, Daniel and Jim{\´e}nez-Halla, J. Oscar C. and Vargas, Alfredo and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Trapping of a Borirane Intermediate in the Reductive Coupling of an Arylborane to a Diborene}, series = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, doi = {10.1021/jacs.0c02306}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-203140}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The reductive coupling of an NHC-stabilized aryldibromoborane yields a mixture of trans- and cis-diborenes in which the aryl groups are coplanar with the diborene core. Under dilute reduction conditions two diastereomers of a borirane-borane intermediate are isolated, which upon further reduction give rise to the aforementioned diborene mixture. DFT calculations suggest a mechanism proceeding via nucleophilic attack of a dicoordinate borylene intermediate on the aryl ring and subsequent intramolecular B-B bond formation.}, language = {en} } @article{StennettJayaramanBrueckneretal.2020, author = {Stennett, Tom E. and Jayaraman, Arumugam and Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Schneider, Lea and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Hydrophosphination of boron-boron multiple bonds}, series = {Chemical Science}, volume = {11}, journal = {Chemical Science}, doi = {10.1039/c9sc05908c}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-240681}, pages = {1335-1341}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Five compounds containing boron-boron multiple bonds are shown to undergo hydrophosphination reactions with diphenylphosphine in the absence of a catalyst. With diborenes, the products obtained are highly dependent on the substitution pattern at the boron atoms, with both 1,1- and 1,2- hydrophosphinations observed. With a symmetrical diboryne, 1,2-hydrophosphination yields a hydro(phosphino)diborene. The different mechanistic pathways for the hydrophosphination of diborenes are rationalised with the aid of density functional theory calculations.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{SchmidtFantuzziArrowsmithetal.2020, author = {Schmidt, Uwe and Fantuzzi, Felipe and Arrowsmith, Merle and Hermann, Alexander and Prieschl, Dominic and Rempel, Anna and Engels, Bernd and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Tuneable reduction of cymantrenylboranes to diborenes or borylene-derived boratafulvenes}, series = {Chemical Communications}, journal = {Chemical Communications}, doi = {10.1039/D0CC06398C}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-222149}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Whereas the reduction of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-stabilised cymantrenyldibromoboranes, (NHC)BBr\(_2\)Cym, in benzene results in formation of the corresponding diborenes (NHC)\(_2\)B\(_2\)Cym\(_2\), a change of solvent to THF yields a borylene of the form (NHC)\(_2\)BCym, stabilised through its boratafulvene resonance form.}, language = {en} } @article{LiuLegareSeufertetal.2020, author = {Liu, Siyuan and L{\´e}gar{\´e}, Marc-Andr{\´e} and Seufert, Jens and Prieschl, Dominic and Rempel, Anna and Englert, Lukas and Dellermann, Theresa and Paprocki, Valerie and Stoy, Andreas and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {2,2′-Bipyridyl as a Redox-Active Borylene Abstraction Agent}, series = {Inorganic Chemistry}, volume = {59}, journal = {Inorganic Chemistry}, number = {15}, doi = {10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c01383}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-215595}, pages = {10866-10873}, year = {2020}, abstract = {2,2′-Bipyridyl is shown to spontaneously abstract a borylene fragment (R-B:) from various hypovalent boron compounds. This process is a redox reaction in which the bipyridine is reduced and becomes a dianionic substituent bound to boron through its two nitrogen atoms. Various transition metal-borylene complexes and diboranes, as a well as a diborene, take part in this reaction. In the latter case, our results show an intriguing example of the homolytic cleavage of a B═B double bond.}, language = {en} } @article{EwingDellermannAngelWongetal.2020, author = {Ewing, William C. and Dellermann, Theresa and Angel Wong, Y. T. and Mattock, James D. and Vargas, Alfredo and Bryce, David L. and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {\(\pi\)-Complexes of Diborynes with Main Group Atoms}, series = {Chemistry - An Asian Journal}, volume = {15}, journal = {Chemistry - An Asian Journal}, number = {10}, doi = {10.1002/asia.202000185}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-214677}, pages = {1553 -- 1557}, year = {2020}, abstract = {We present herein an in-depth study of complexes in which a molecule containing a boron-boron triple bond is bound to tellurate cations. The analysis allows the description of these salts as true π complexes between the B-B triple bond and the tellurium center. These complexes thus extend the well-known Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson model of bonding to compounds made up solely of p block elements. Structural, spectroscopic and computational evidence is offered to argue that a set of recently reported heterocycles consisting of phenyltellurium cations complexed to diborynes bear all the hallmarks of \(\pi\)-complexes in the \(\pi\)-complex/metallacycle continuum envisioned by Joseph Chatt. Described as such, these compounds are unique in representing the extreme of a metal-free continuum with conventional unsaturated three-membered rings (cyclopropenes, azirenes, borirenes) occupying the opposite end.}, language = {en} } @article{SchmidtWernerArrowsmithetal.2020, author = {Schmidt, Uwe and Werner, Luis and Arrowsmith, Merle and Deissenberger, Andrea and Hermann, Alexander and Hofmann, Alexander and Ullrich, Stefan and Mattock, James D. and Vargas, Alfredo and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Trans-selektive Dihydroborierung eines cis-Diborens durch Insertion: Synthese eines linearen sp\(^3\)-sp\(^2\)-sp\(^3\)-Triborans und anschließende Kationisierung}, series = {Angewandte Chemie}, volume = {132}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1002/ange.201911645}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-219713}, pages = {333-337}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Die Reaktion zwischen Aryl- und Amino(dihydro)boranen und Dibora[2]ferrocenophan 1 f{\"u}hrt zur Bildung von 1,3-trans-Dihydrotriboranen durch formale Hydrierung und Insertion eines Borylens in die B=B Doppelbindung. Die Aryltriboran-Derivate unterliegen einer reversiblen Photoisomerisierung zugunsten eines cis-1,2-μ-H-3-Hydrotriborans, w{\"a}hrend eine Hydridabstraktion zu kationischen Triboranen f{\"u}hrt, welche die ersten doppelt basenstabilisierten B\(_3\)H\(_4\)\(^+\)-Analoga darstellen.}, language = {de} } @article{SchmidtWernerArrowsmithetal.2020, author = {Schmidt, Uwe and Werner, Luis and Arrowsmith, Merle and Deissenberger, Andrea and Hermann, Alexander and Hofmann, Alexander and Ullrich, Stefan and Mattock, James D. and Vargas, Alfredo and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {trans-Selective Insertional Dihydroboration of a cis-Diborene: Synthesis of Linear sp\(^3\)-sp\(^2\)-sp\(^3\)-Triboranes and Subsequent Cationization}, series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, volume = {59}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201911645}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-208090}, pages = {325-329}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The reaction of aryl- and amino(dihydro)boranes with dibora[2]ferrocenophane 1 leads to the formation 1,3-trans -dihydrotriboranes by formal hydrogenation and insertion of a borylene unit into the B=B bond. The aryltriborane derivatives undergo reversible photoisomerization to the cis -1,2-μ-H-3-hydrotriboranes, while hydride abstraction affords cationic triboranes, which represent the first doubly base-stabilized B3H4\(^+\) analogues.}, language = {en} } @article{HermannFantuzziArrowsmithetal.2020, author = {Hermann, Alexander and Fantuzzi, Felipe and Arrowsmith, Merle and Zorn, Theresa and Krummenacher, Ivo and Ritschel, Benedikt and Radacki, Krzysztof and Engels, Bernd and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Oxidation, Coordination, and Nickel-Mediated Deconstruction of a Highly Electron-Rich Diboron Analogue of 1,3,5-Hexatriene}, series = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, volume = {59}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, number = {36}, doi = {10.1002/anie.202006131}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-240652}, pages = {15717-15725}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The reductive coupling of an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) stabilized (dibromo)vinylborane yields a 1,2-divinyl- diborene, which, although isoelectronic to a 1,3,5-triene, displays no extended p conjugation because of twisting of the C\(_2\)B\(_2\)C\(_2\) chain. While this divinyldiborene coordinates to copper(I) and platinum(0) in an η\(^2\)-B\(_2\) and η\(^4\)-C\(_2\)B\(_2\) fashion, respectively, it undergoes a complex rearrangement to an η\(^4\)-1,3-diborete upon complexation with nickel(0).}, language = {en} } @article{HuangWangDewhurstetal.2020, author = {Huang, Zhenguo and Wang, Suning and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Ignat'ev, Nikolai V. and Finze, Maik and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Boron: Its Role in Energy-Related Processes and Applications}, series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, volume = {59}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition}, number = {23}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201911108}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-218514}, pages = {8800 -- 8816}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Boron's unique position in the Periodic Table, that is, at the apex of the line separating metals and nonmetals, makes it highly versatile in chemical reactions and applications. Contemporary demand for renewable and clean energy as well as energy-efficient products has seen boron playing key roles in energy-related research, such as 1) activating and synthesizing energy-rich small molecules, 2) storing chemical and electrical energy, and 3) converting electrical energy into light. These applications are fundamentally associated with boron's unique characteristics, such as its electron-deficiency and the availability of an unoccupied p orbital, which allow the formation of a myriad of compounds with a wide range of chemical and physical properties. For example, boron's ability to achieve a full octet of electrons with four covalent bonds and a negative charge has led to the synthesis of a wide variety of borate anions of high chemical and electrochemical stability—in particular, weakly coordinating anions. This Review summarizes recent advances in the study of boron compounds for energy-related processes and applications.}, language = {en} } @article{BruecknerDewhurstDellermannetal.2019, author = {Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Dellermann, Theresa and M{\"u}ller, Marcel and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Mild synthesis of diboryldiborenes by diboration of B-B triple bonds}, series = {Chemical Science}, volume = {10}, journal = {Chemical Science}, doi = {10.1039/C9SC02544H}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-186306}, pages = {7375-7378}, year = {2019}, abstract = {A set of diboryldiborenes are prepared by the mild, catalyst-free, room-temperature diboration of the B-B triple bonds of doubly base-stabilized diborynes. Two of the product diboryldiborenes are found to be air- and water-stable in the solid state, an effect that is attributed to their high crystallinity and extreme insolubility in a wide range of solvents.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{LegarePranckeviciusBraunschweig2019, author = {L{\´e}gar{\´e}, Marc-Andr{\´e} and Pranckevicius, Conor and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Metallomimetic Chemistry of Boron}, series = {Chemical Reviews}, journal = {Chemical Reviews}, doi = {10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00561}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-186317}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The study of main-group molecules that behave and react similarly to transition-metal (TM) complexes has attracted significant interest in recent decades. Most notably, the attractive idea of replacing the all-too-often rare and costly metals from catalysis has motivated efforts to develop main-group-element-mediated reactions. Main-group elements, however, lack the electronic flexibility of TM complexes that arises from combinations of empty and filled d orbitals and that seem ideally suited to bind and activate many substrates. In this review, we look at boron, an element that despite its nonmetal nature, low atomic weight, and relative redox staticity has achieved great milestones in terms of TM-like reactivity. We show how in interelement cooperative systems, diboron molecules, and hypovalent complexes the fifth element can acquire a truly metallomimetic character. As we discuss, this character is powerfully demonstrated by the reactivity of boron-based molecules with H2, CO, alkynes, alkenes and even with N2.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{BruecknerStennettHessetal.2019, author = {Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Stennett, Tom E. and Heß, Merlin and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Single and Double Hydroboration of B-B Triple Bonds and Conver- gent Routes to a Cationic Tetraborane}, series = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society}, doi = {10.1021/jacs.9b07991}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-188632}, year = {2019}, abstract = {A compound with a boron-boron triple bond is shown to undergo stepwise hydroboration reactions with catecholborane to yield an unsymmetrical hydro(boryl)diborene and a 2,3-dihydrotetraborane. Abstraction of H- from the latter compound produces an unusual cationic, planar tetraborane with a hydrogen atom bridging the central B2 moiety. Spectroscopic and crystallographic data and DFT calculations support a 'protonated diborene' structure for this compound, which can also be accessed via direct protonation of the corresponding diborene.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{MuessigThalerDewhurstetal.2019, author = {Muessig, Jonas H. and Thaler, Melanie and Dewhurst, Rian D. and Paprocki, Valerie and Seufert, Jens and Mattock, James D. and Vargas, Alfredo and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Phosphine-Stabilized Diiododiborenes: Isolable Diborenes with Six Labile Bonds}, series = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201814230}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-178608}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The lability of B=B, B-P and B-halide bonds is combined in the syntheses of the first diiododiborenes. In a series of reactivity tests, these diiododiborenes demonstrate cleavage of all six of their central bonds in different ways, leading to products of B=B hydrogenation and dihalogenation as well as halide exchange.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{BruecknerArrowsmithHessetal.2019, author = {Br{\"u}ckner, Tobias and Arrowsmith, Merle and Heß, Merlin and Hammond, Kai and M{\"u}ller, Marcel and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Synthesis of fused B,N-heterocycles by alkyne cleavage, NHC ring-expansion and C-H activation at a diboryne}, series = {Chemical Communications}, journal = {Chemical Communications}, doi = {10.1039/C9CC02657F}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-184899}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The addition of alkynes to a staturated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-supported diboryne results in spontaneous cycloaddition, with complete B≡B and C≡C triple bond cleavage, NHC ring- expansion and activation of a variety of C-H bonds, leading to the formation of complex mixtures of fused B,N-heterocycles.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{StennettBissingerGriesbecketal.2019, author = {Stennett, Tom E. and Bissinger, Philipp and Griesbeck, Stefanie and Ullrich, Stefan and Krummenacher, Ivo and Auth, Michael and Sperlich, Andreas and Stolte, Matthias and Radacki, Krzysztof and Yao, Chang-Jiang and W{\"u}rthner, Frank and Steffen, Andreas and Marder, Todd B. and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Near-Infrared Quadrupolar Chromophores Combining Three-Coordinate Boron-Based Superdonor and Superacceptor Units}, series = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201900889}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-180391}, year = {2019}, abstract = {In this work, two new quadrupolar A-π-D-π-A chromophores have been prepared featuring a strongly electron- donating diborene core and strongly electron-accepting dimesitylboryl F(BMes2) and bis(2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)boryl (BMes2) end groups. Analysis of the compounds by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis-NIR absorption and emission spectroscopy indicated that the compounds possess extended conjugated π-systems spanning their B4C8 cores. The combination of exceptionally potent π-donor (diborene) and π- acceptor (diarylboryl) groups, both based on trigonal boron, leads to very small HOMO-LUMO gaps, resulting in strong absorption in the near-IR region with maxima in THF at 840 and 1092 nm, respectively, and very high extinction coefficients of ca. 120,000 M-1cm-1. Both molecules also display weak near-IR fluorescence with small Stokes shifts.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{ArrowsmithDoemlingSchmidtetal.2019, author = {Arrowsmith, Merle and D{\"o}mling, Michael and Schmidt, Uwe and Werner, Luis and Castro, Abril C. and Jim{\´e}nez-Halla, J. Oscar C. and M{\"u}ssig, Jonas and Prieschl, Dominic and Braunschweig, Holger}, title = {Spontaneous trans-Selective Transfer Hydrogenation of Apolar B=B Double Bonds}, series = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie, International Edition}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201902656}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-184874}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The transfer hydrogenation of NHC-supported diborenes with dimethylamine borane proceeds with high selectivity for the trans-1,2-dihydrodiboranes(6). DFT calculations suggest a stepwise proton-first-hydride-second reaction mechanism via an intermediate μ-hydrodiboronium dimethylaminoborate ion pair.}, language = {en} }