4,4,5,5-Tetraphenyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane: A Bulky Borane for the Transition Metal Catalysed Hydroboration of Alkenes

The transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction

This review covers the development of the transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction, from its beginnings in the 1980s to more recent developments including earth-abundant catalysts and an ever-expanding array of substrates.

Design and synthesis of boron containing monosaccharides by the hydroboration of d-glucal for use in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT)

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is one of the radiotherapies that involves the use of boron-containing compounds for the treatment of cancer. Boron-10 (¹⁰B) containing compounds that can accumulate in tumor tissue are expected to be suitable agents for BNCT. We report herein on the design and synthesis of some new BNCT agents based on a d-glucose scaffold, since glycoconjugation has been recognized as a useful strategy for the specific targeting of tumors. To introduce a boryl group into a d-glucose scaffold, we focused on the hydroboration of d-glucal derivatives, which have a double bond between the C1 and C2 positions. It was hypothesized that a C-B bond could be introduced at the C2 position of d-glucose by the hydroboration of d-glucal derivatives and that the products could be stabilized by conversion to the corresponding boronic acid ester. To test this hypothesis, we prepared some 2-boryl-1,2-dideoxy-d-glucose derivatives as boron carriers and evaluated their cytotoxicity and cellular uptake activity to cancer cells, especially under hypoxic conditions.

Remarkably Facile Borane-Promoted, Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Tri- and Tetrasubstituted Alkenes

Oxime-directed catalytic asymmetric hydroboration is diverted to catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation (CAH) upon the addition of a proton source, such as MeOH, or by running the reaction under a hydrogen atmosphere. A borane (e.g., pinacolborane) is required to promote CAH. Tri- and tetrasubstituted alkenes, including the challenging all-alkyl tetrasubstituted alkenes, undergo CAH with enantiomer ratios (er) as high as 99:1. The mild reaction conditions, i.e., ambient temperature, moderate reaction times, and the need for only a slight excess of H₂, contrast those used in most state-of-the-art catalysts for related substrates.

Synthesis of Ruthenium Boryl Analogues of the Shvo Metal-Ligand Bifunctional Catalyst

Metal boryl complexes have received significant attention in the literature in recent years due to their role as key intermediates in a number of metal-catalyzed borylation reactions. The ligand scaffold is known to have a significant impact on the observed reactivity of these metal boryl complexes. A synthetic strategy to access ruthenium boryl analogues of the Shvo metal-ligand catalysts is described. Heating a precursor to Shvo's catalyst (1) with bis(catecholato)diboron at 50 °C provided ruthenium boryl complex 3 [2,5-Ph(2)-3,4-Tol(2)(η(5)-C(4)COBcat)Ru(CO)(2)Bcat] (Bcat = catecholatoboryl). Addition of bis(catecholato)diboron to complex 1 in the presence of a phenol results in ruthenium boryl complex5 [2,5-Ph(2)-3,4-Tol(2)(η(5)-C(4)COH)Ru(CO)(2)Bcat] at 22 °C in 30% isolated yield. A single crystal X-ray analysis of complex 5 confirmed the assigned structure. An improved synthesis of ruthenium boryl complex 5 was developed by the in situ formation of complex 3 [2,5-Ph(2)-3,4-Tol(2)(η(5)-C(4)COBcat)Ru(CO)(2)Bcat] followed by addition of the phenol, resulting in a 51% yield.

C-F activation at rhodium boryl complexes: formation of 2-fluoroalkyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolanes by catalytic functionalization of hexafluoropropene

Fluorinated building blocks by C-F bond cleavage: Catalytic C-F activation reactions that give novel dioxaborolanes have been developed (see scheme). The reactions proceed at room temperature, and catalytic intermediates are presumably rhodium hydride and boryl species.