MesB(C
6F
5)
2 (
1) has been prepared from MesMgBr and FB(C
6F
5)
2·OEt
2, while Mes
2B(C
6F
5) (
2) isreadily available from CuC
6F
5 and Mes
2BBr. The reduction potential
E of
1 vs Cp
2Fe
0/+ in THF is-1.72 V, while that of
2 is -2.10 V, and that of Mes
3B (
3) is -2.73 V.
11B and
1H NMR show thatneither
1 nor
2 binds THF significantly. These results have been used to estimate the reduction potentialof B(C
6F
5)
3 in THF as -1.17 V vs Cp
2Fe
0/+ or as -0.64 V vs SCE.