Metal-Free Acetylene Coupling by the (C6 F5 )2 B-X 1,2-Halogenoboration Reaction

Haloboration: scope, mechanism and utility

Haloboration, the addition of B–X (X = Cl, Br, I) across an unsaturated moiety e.g., C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> Y or C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> Y (Y = C, N, etc.), is dramatically less utilised than the ubiquitous hydroboration reaction. However, haloboration of alkynes in particular is a useful tool to access ambiphilic 1,2-disubstituted alkenes. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction is easily controlled and the resulting products have proven to be valuable building blocks in organic synthesis and materials chemistry. This review aims at providing the reader with a brief summary of the historic development and of the current mechanistic understanding of this transformation. Recent developments are discussed and select examples demonstrating the use of haloboration products are given with a focus on the major areas, specifically, natural product synthesis and the development of boron-doped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (B-PAHs).

Haloboration is a mostly overlooked technique, yet it is a powerful way of transforming alkynes stereoselectively into difunctionalised ambiphilic alkenes, which readily undergo a plethora of highly useful subsequent reactions.

Observation of Borane-Olefin Proximity Interaction Governing the Structure and Reactivity of Boron-Containing Macrocycles

While attractive interactions between borane and olefin have been postulated to trigger various boron-mediated organic transformations, proximity structures of these functional groups, other than the formation of weak van der Waals complexes, have never been directly observed. Here we show that a close intramolecular borane-olefin interaction operates in macrocyclic systems containing borane and olefinic groups obtained by multi-step 1,2-carboboration between a strained alkyne and 9-borafluorene derivatives. Depending on Lewis acidity of the borane moiety and the size of the macrocycles, the magnitude of interaction changes, resulting in different reaction modes. The whole picture of the multi-step reactions has been revealed experimentally with theoretical supports. The present finding may not only provide a deeper understanding of the fundamental boron-mediated interaction but also lead to the development of new organic transformations involving molecular activation by boranes.

Boron and Silicon-Substituted 1,3-Dienes and Dienophiles and Their Use in Diels-Alder Reactions

Boron and silicon-substituted 1,3-dienes and boron and silicon-substituted alkenes and alkynes have been known for years and the last 10 years have seen a number of new reports of their preparation and use in Diels-Alder reactions. This review first covers boron-substituted dienes and dienophiles and then moves on to discuss silicon-substituted dienes and dienophiles.

Reactions of an anionic chelate phosphane/borata-alkene ligand with [Rh(nbd)Cl]2, [Rh(CO)2Cl]2 and [Ir(cod)Cl]2

Borata-alkenes can serve as anionic olefin equivalent ligands in transition metal chemistry. A chelate ligand of this type is described and used for metal coordination. Deprotonation of the Mes₂P(CH₂)₂B(C₆F₅)₂ frustrated Lewis pair in the α-CH[B] position gave the methylene-bridged phosphane/borata-alkene anion. It reacted with the [Rh(nbd)Cl] or [Rh(CO)₂Cl] dimers to give the respective neutral chelate [P/C[double bond, length as m-dash]B][Rh] complexes. The reaction of the [P/C[double bond, length as m-dash]B]^- anion with [Ir(cod)Cl]₂ proceeded similarly, only that the complex underwent a subsequent oxidative addition reaction at the mesityl substituent. Both the resulting Ir(iii)hydride complex 15 and the P/borata-alkene Rh system 12 were used as hydrogenation catalysts. The [P/C[double bond, length as m-dash]B(C₆F₅)₂]Rh(nbd) complex 12 served as a catalyst for arylacetylene polymerization.

Twenty-five years of bis-pentafluorophenyl borane: a versatile reagent for catalyst and materials synthesis

Highlights of the extensive chemistry and applications of bis-pentafluorophenyl borane (“Piers’ borane”) from the 25 years since its first appearance are featured.

Halogenoborane mediated allene cyclooligomerization

Allene reacts with the strongly electrophilic halogenoboranes XB(C₆F₅)₂ (X: Cl or Br) by forming a mixture of 1,3,5-trimethylenecyclohexane and the stoichiometric halogeno-borated tetramerization products.

The halogenoboranes XB(C₆F₅)₂ (X: Cl, Br) react with allene to give a mixture of the cyclotrimer 1,3,5-trimethylenecyclohexane (1) and the related halogenoborylated cyclotetramerization products 3a and 3b. Alkyl-substituted allenes were catalytically cyclotrimerized metal-free by XB(C₆F₅)₂ (X: Cl, Br) to give cis,trans-2,4,6-trialkyl-1,3,5-trimethylenecyclohexanes under mild conditions.

Consecutive intermolecular 1,1-carboboration reactions of Me3Si-substituted alkynes with the halogeno-B(C6F5)2 reagents

1-(Trimethylsilyl)propyne 2a reacts with halogenoboranes XB(C₆F₅)₂ (X: Cl, Br) in a 2 : 1 molar ratio under mild conditions by consecutive 1,1-carboboration reactions to give the highly substituted boryldienes 4.

Arylallenes and the halogeno-B(C6F5)2 reagents: facile formation of 2-borylindenes

Allenylarenes are converted to the respective 2-borylindenes by treatment with chloro- or bromobis(pentafluorophenyl)borane.

Metal-free gem selective dimerization of terminal alkynes catalyzed by a pyridonate borane complex

The metal-free dimerization of alkynes catalyzed by a pyridonate borane complex via a 1,2-carboration is reported.

Aggregation Behavior of a Six-Membered Cyclic Frustrated Phosphane/Borane Lewis Pair: Formation of a Supramolecular Cyclooctameric Macrocyclic Ring System

A new six-membered cyclic frustrated phosphane/borane Lewis pair was liberated from its HB(C₆ F₅ )₂ adduct by treatment with vinylcyclohexane. The system is an active frustrated Lewis pair that undergoes cycloaddition reactions with suitable π reagents and it splits dihydrogen. At room temperature in solution the new compound is a monomer, however, in the crystal and in solution at low temperature it aggregates to a thermodynamically favoured supramolecular macrocyclic cyclooctamer.

Selective formation of heterocyclic trans-cycloalkenes by alkyne addition to a biphenylene-based phosphane/borane frustrated Lewis pair

A biphenylene based P/B FLP reacts with 1-alkynes through trans-1,2-addition to give heterocyclic E-cycloalkene products.

Phosphirenium borate betaines from alkynylphosphanes and the halogeno-B(C6F5)2 reagents

A series of phosphanyl substituted alkynes R¹₂P–CC–R² [R¹₂P: Mes₂P or ^tBu₂P; R²: SiMe₃, Ph, ^tBu] reacts with the X–B(C₆F₅)₂ reagents [X: Cl, Br] to give thermally rather stable neutral zwitterionic phosphirenium borate products.