Phosphine-aluminum frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) can activate CO2 but show significant stability issues. The Lewis acidity and basicity need to be fine-tuned to the desired reactivity for efficient FLP catalysis. FLP catalysts need to generate strong hydrides to reduce catalytically carbon dioxide. Transition metal catalysis can serve as an inspiration for the design of metal-free catalysts for many transformations, including the borylation of heteroarenes.