Selective reduction of CO2 to a methanol equivalent by B(C6F5)3-activated alkaline earth catalysisElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Details of the synthesis, characterisation data and the crystallographic protocols employed in this study are given. CCDC 986910 and 986911. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c4sc00885e

Treatment of β-diketiminato Mg and Ca amidoborane compounds with B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 induces hydride elimination and formation of alkaline earth hydrido-tris(pentafluorophenyl)borate derivatives. Both species react with CO 2 to provide formate complexes, one of which has been structurally characterised, and may be applied to the highly selective reductive hydroboration of CO 2 with pinacolborane (HBpin) to provide the methanol equivalent, CH 3 OBpin. Magnesium and calcium hydrido-tris(pentafluorophenyl)borate derivatives catalyse the completely selective reductive hydroboration of CO 2 with pinacolborane (HBpin) to provide the methanol equivalent, CH 3 OBpin.