Frustrated Lewis Pairs: From Concept to Catalysis

CONSPECTUS: Frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) chemistry has emerged in the past decade as a strategy that enables main-group compounds to activate small molecules. This concept is based on the notion that combinations of Lewis acids and bases that are sterically prevented from forming classical Lewis acid-base adducts have Lewis acidity and basicity available for interaction with a third molecule. This concept has been applied to stoichiometric reactivity and then extended to catalysis. This Account describes three examples of such developments: hydrogenation, hydroamination, and CO2 reduction. The most dramatic finding from FLP chemistry was the discovery that FLPs can activate H2, thus countering the long-existing…

• AV
  Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
• CF
  Canada Foundation for Innovation
• CR
  Canada Research Chairs
• NO
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
• NS
  Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
• JS
  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science