The silver(I) complex [HB{3-(CF),5-(CH)Pz}]AgNCCH supported by a partially fluorinated scorpionate ligand.

Tris(pyrazolyl)borates are used extensively in metal coordination chemistry and belong to a class of ligands generally referred to as scorpionates. The steric and electronic properties of these ligands can be modified quite easily by varying the substituents on the 3-, 4-, and 5-positions of the pyrazolyl moieties on the B atom. Fluorinated tris(pyrazolyl)borates are useful in the stabilization of rare silver(I) complexes. The silver(I) adduct (acetonitrile-κN){tris[5-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazol-1-yl-κN]hydroborato}silver(I), [Ag(CHBFN)(CHCN)] or [HB{3-(CF),5-(CH)Pz}]AgNCCH, was obtained by treating [HB{3-(CF),5-(CH)Pz}]Na with CFSOAg in the presence of acetonitrile, and was isolated in 85% yield. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the Ag center has a pseudo-tetrahedral all-nitrogen coordination sphere, and is supported by a tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligand that binds to the Ag center in a κ-fashion.