Enantioselective α-hydrogen-atom abstraction from an ester by an optically active amine-boryl radical

The optically active amine-boryl radical IpcḂH â†� NMe2CH2CH2NMe2→ BH2Ipc (Ipc = isophinocampheyl)abstracts hydrogen enantioselectively from the α-C–H group of methyl 2-phenylpropanoate; partial kinetic resolution of the ester has been achieved in a catalytic manner.