Trapping of a Terminal Intermediate in the Boron-Mediated Dinitrogen Reduction: Mono-, Tri-, and Tetrafunctionalized Hydrazines in Two Steps from N2.

The addition of chlorotrimethylsilane to a boron-mediated, transition-metal-free N2 activation reaction leads to the isolation of multiple potassium boryl(silyl)hydrazido species, likely trapping products of a terminal dinitrogen complex of boron. One of these silylated N2 species can be protonated or methylated, providing access to mono- to tetrafunctionalized hydrazines in two steps from N2 and in the absence of transition metals.