Recent developments in bisdiborane chemistry: B-C-B, B-C-C-B, B-C=C-B, and B-OC-B compounds and their biological applications

This chapter discusses the use of partly geminated boranes (B-C-B), and also bisdiborane reagents (B–C–C–B, B–C=C–B, B–C≡C–B). Bis(pinacolato)diborane is used preferentially over other (alkoxo)diborons, because along with it the borylated products derived from it can be handled in air and exhibit high stability toward hydrolysis, which facilitate reaction workup and purification. Bisdiborane derivatives are an important class of compounds in boron chemistry. The addition of diborons (X 2 B–BX 2 ) to unsaturated hydrocarbons is a popular method to introduce two boryl units into organic molecules. Diborane , B 2 H 4 , is stable only when complexed by Lewis base ligands such as amines or phosphines. Bisdiborane, BCB, compounds are usually prepared by double hydroboration of terminal alkynes with dialkylboranes. They are interesting precursors to gembimetallics such as BCLi and BCMgX. The chapter also presents survey on some of the chemistry of organoboron compounds derived from diboron precursors.