Synthesis of oxaboranes nickel-catalyzed dearylative cyclocondensation.

We report Ni-catalyzed dearylative cyclocondensation of aldehydes, alkynes, and triphenylborane. The reaction is initiated by oxidative cyclization of the aldehyde and alkyne coupling partners to generate an oxanickelacyclopentene which reacts with triphenylborane to form oxaboranes. This formal dearylative cyclocondensation reaction generates oxaboranes in moderate-to-high yields (47-99%) with high regioselectivities under mild reaction conditions.

Palladium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Alkene Carboacylation via Ester C-O Bond Activation.

We report palladium-catalyzed intermolecular carboacylation of alkenes with ester electrophiles and tetraarylborate nucleophiles. Bicyclic alkenes react with a variety of pentafluorophenyl benzoate and alkanoate esters and sodium tetraarylborates to form ketone products in ≤99% yields. These reactions occur in the absence of a directing group and demonstrate esters are competent acyl electrophiles for intermolecular alkene carboacylation reactions.