α‐Hydroxymethylation of Pyridines at a Frustrated Lewis Pair Template

The “η2-formylborane” moiety formed by CO reduction with HB(C6F5)2 at a P/B frustrated Lewis pair template undergoes a hydroxymethylation reaction at the α-position to nitrogen in pyridine or isoquinoline. The analogous reaction with pyrimidine revealed a mechanism related to the Tschitschibabin reaction.