Synthesis and molecular structure of the paramagnetic Co(II) bis(boryl)complex [Co(PMe(3))(3)(Bcat)(2)] (cat=1,2-O2C6H4)

The B-B bonded compound B(2)cat(2)(cat = 1,2-O2C6H4) reacts with [Co(PMe(3))(4)] via oxidative addition of the B-B bond to Co(O) yielding the paramagnetic, formally 17-electron Co(II) cis-bis(boryl) complex [Co(PMe(3))(3)(Bcat)(2)]. This complex has an unusually small B-Co-B angle of 67.9(4)degrees and short B-B separation of 2.185 Angstrom, and, although it dan be described as a distorted square pyramid, the geometry of the trigonal-pyramidal [Co(PMe(3))(3)] fragment is similar to that in the Co(I) complex [Co(PMe(3))(3)Cl], which has also been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.