First stable compound with a boron–boron triple bond

Nature : Holger Braunschweig and his colleagues at the University of Würzburg in Germany have succeeded in synthesizing a compound that features a boronâboron triple bond. Published today in Science, the Würzburg recipe entails first creating organic molecules that each feature a single B atom, diazole (a five-membered ring of three carbon atoms and two nitrogen atoms), and two propylphenyl groups. The bulky molecular structure attached to the B atom not only promotes the formation of a BâB triple bond by donating electrons, it also adds stability by shielding the bond. Previously, only carbon and nitrogen were known to form triple bonds. Boron’s new-found bonding ability could help extend the element’s use in LEDs and other technological applications.