Pyridine and phosphine reactions with [CPh3][B(C6F5)4]

Trityl borate salts [4-RPyCPh3][B(C6F5)4] (R = H 1, tBu 2, Et 3, NMe24) and [R3PCPh3][B(C6F5)4] (R = Me 5, nBu 6, Ph[1] 7, p-MeC6H48) are readily prepared via equimolar reaction of the appropriate pyridine or phosphine and trityl borate [CPh3][B(C6F5)4]. The analogous reactions of PiPr3 affords the product [(p-iPr3P–C6H4)Ph2CH][B(C6F5)4] (9) while the corresponding reactions of Cy3P and tBu3P gave the cyclohexadienyl derivatives [(p-R3PC6H5)CPh2][B(C6F5)4] (R = Cy 10, tBu 11). X-ray structures of 5 and 9 are reported.