A new oxo-bridged borate derived from dimeric boron complexes

Reaction of 2-salicylideneamino hydroxyethane (H2SAE) with B(NMe2)3, B(OH)3 and C6F5B(OH)2 leads to the dimeric boron compounds [B(SAE)(NMe2)]2 (2), [B(SAE)(OH)]2 (3) and [B(SAE)(C6F5)]2 (4) in moderate to good yields. Compound 2 hydrolyses slowly at room temperature (r.t.) to give the dimeric oxo-bridged boron compound m-oxo-[B(SAE)]2 (5). Dehydration of 3 or hydrolysis of 4 with elimination of the aryl group conduced to the same derivative. The X-ray crystallographic analysis confirmed the molecular structure for compound 5. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.