A chemically competent indirect pathway for the activation of dihydrogen by the nonmetal Lewis acid/Lewis base pair tBu3P/B(C6F5)3 is described. The reaction between tBu3P and B(C6F5)3 produces [tBu3PH]+[FB(C6F5)3]鈭?/sup> and the known phosphinoborane p-tBu2P鈥揅6F4鈥揃(C6F5)2 (1-tBu) with elimination of isobutylene. At 1:1 stoichiometry, 1-tBu is produced rapidly in detectable quantities and can act as a catalyst for the formation of [tBu3PH]+[HB(C6F5)3]鈭?/sup> from tBu3P and B(C6F5)3 in the presence of H2. The extent to which this indirect path competes with the direct path is explored.