{
  "abstract": "Borohydrides are widely used sources of hydride ions (H-), but their conventional synthesis from highly reducing metal hydrides is energetically demanding and undermines sustainable applications. Herein, we report a sterically encumbered thioether-substituted triaryl borane, 1,2-(tBuS)C6H4(BMes2) (3) (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2), which is highly air- and moisture-stable. 3 exhibits a one-electron reduction at E0 = -2.62 V vs Fc+|0 and a radical anion half-lifetime of ∼0.5 s in THF, enabling bimolecular follow-up reactivity. Indeed, two-electron reduction and protonation of 3 with KC8/[DBUH]+ (DBU = 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene) or hydride transfer from Li(AlH4) affords the borohydride 4-. From a hydricity-potential correlation, we estimate a hydricity of ∼36 kcal mol-1 in MeCN, which allows 4- to reduce H+ to H2 and CO2 to formate under ambient conditions in almost quantitative yields. The reaction of 3, [DBUH]+, KC8, and CO2 furnishes potassium formate in ∼90% spectroscopic yield, establishing a closed synthetic cycle for CO2 reduction by protons and electrons at a boron center. These results highlight how tailor-made, redox-active boranes can complement transition-metal hydrides as modular, metal-free platforms for coupling renewable electrons and protons in CO2 utilization chemistry.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Universität Göttingen, Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Tammannstr. 4, 37077Göttingen, Germany.",
    "University of Alberta , Department of Chemistry, 11227 Saskatchewan Dr. NW, Edmonton, AlbertaT6G 2G2, Canada."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Felix Meyer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ludwig Zapf"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Eric Rivard",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0360-0090"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Inke Siewert",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3121-3917"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a059gzczvswff.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1021/acs.inorgchem.6c03816",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685415",
  "id": "a059gzczvswff",
  "issns": [
    "0020-1669",
    "1520-510X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42895390",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1605|Organoboron and organosilicon chemistry"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7219134648",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13685415?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13685415",
  "pmid": "42895390",
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a059gzczvswff.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:37Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42895390",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42895390"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1605|Organoboron and organosilicon chemistry",
      "subfield": "organic"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A Sterically Encumbered Triarylborane Enabling CO2 Reduction to Formate by Electrons and Protons.",
  "title_text": "A Sterically Encumbered Triarylborane Enabling CO2 Reduction to Formate by Electrons and Protons.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:37Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a059gzczvswff",
  "venue": "Inorganic chemistry",
  "versions": []
}