 Hydrogenations of these unsaturated substrates can be effected by metal-catalyzed reactions.Metal-free catalytic hydrogenation was carried out using the phosphonium borate catalyst (R2PH)(C6F4)BH(C6F5)2 (R = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2) 1.This type of metal-free hydrogenation has the potential to replace high cost metal catalyst.