Borane - Definition

A borane is an inorganic chemical compound of boron and hydrogen. Boranes are often unstable. They are named by analogy with the alkanes, which are carbon-hydrogen compounds.

German chemist Alfred Stock was the first scientist to characterize the series of boron-hydrogen compounds by analogy with hydrocarbons.

There are 2 major classes of boranes:

• nidoboranes (general formula B_nH_n+4)
• arachnoboranes (general formula B_nH_n+6)

For example:

• B₂H₆ : diborane
• B₄H₁₀ : tetraborane

The salts of boranes are called borohydrides.