PENTAFLUOROPHENYLBORANES - FROM OBSCURITY TO APPLICATIONS

Pentafluorophenyl substituted boranes and berates are important as co- catalysts in metallocene-based industrial processes for the homogeneou s polymerization of olefins, Although first prepared in the early 1960 s, the remarkable properties of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane have onl y recently been exploited for applications in catalysis, Spurred by th ese developments, the related compounds bis(pentafluorophenyl)borane a nd salts of the tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate anion have also foun d application in olefin polymerization and other fields, In this artic le, we trace the rise of pentafluorophenyl boron compounds from curios ities to important commodities.