Diborane(4)-metal bonding: between hydrogen bridges and frustrated oxidative addition.

The metal complexes [M{HB(hpp)}(2)(CO)(4)] (M = Cr, Mo or W) and [M(cod){HB(hpp)}(2)Cl] (M = Rh or Ir) of the doubly-base stabilized diborane(4) ligand [HB(hpp)](2) were fully characterized and their bonding nature was investigated in detail. While bonding in the group 6 complexes predominantly occurs through the hydrogen atoms, the metal-ligand interaction in the group 9 complexes can be regarded as an early stage oxidative addition of the boron-boron bond leading to diboryl compounds. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012