# Silane Redistribution Catalyzed by [Mes-B-TMP]+ Borinium Ion

## TL;DR

A borinium ion effectively catalyzes silane redistribution and cross-coupling reactions under mild conditions.

## Contribution

The arylamino borinium ion [1]+ enables selective aryl transfer and cross-coupling by modulating Lewis acidity.

## Key findings

- The [1]+ ion catalyzes ArMe2SiH to produce Ar2SiMe2 and Me2SiH2 under mild conditions.
- The amino substituent in [1]+ prevents catalyst decomposition by modulating Lewis acidity.
- The reaction extends to cross-coupling between ArMe2SiH and Et2SiH2/Et3SiH.

## Abstract

Borinium ions, featuring two empty p orbitals at boron,
exhibit
exceptional Lewis acidity but often suffer from excessive reactivity
that limits their catalytic utility. In this study, we demonstrate
that the arylamino borinium ion [1]+ effectively
mediates aryl transfer in ArMe2SiH to afford Ar2SiMe2 and Me2SiH2 under mild conditions.
The reaction can also be extended to cross-coupling between ArMe2SiH and Et2SiH2/Et3SiH. Computational
studies revealed that the amino substituent in [1]+ plays a pivotal role in modulating the Lewis acidity of the
boron center, enabling reversible Si–H activation while preventing
irreversible B–C bond cleavage and catalyst decomposition.
These findings highlight the potential of electronically tuned borinium
ions as catalysts for activating inert substrates in organic transformations.