Cu-catalyzed methods for site-selective hydroboration of terminal alkynes, where the internal or α-vinylboronate is generated predominantly (up to >98%) are presented. Reactions are catalyzed by 1-5 mol % of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of copper, easily prepared from N-aryl-substituted commercially available imidazolinium salts, and proceed in the presence of commercially available bis(pinacolato)diboron [B(2)(pin)(2)] and 1.1 equiv of MeOH at -50 to -15 °C in 3-24 h. Propargyl alcohol and amine and the derived benzyl, tert-butyl, or silyl ethers as well as various amides are particularly effective substrates; also suitable are a wide range of aryl-substituted terminal alkynes, where higher α-selectivity is achieved with substrates that bear an electron-withdrawing substituent. α-Selective Cu-catalyzed hydroborations are amenable to gram-scale procedures (1 mol % catalyst loading). Mechanistic studies are presented, indicating that α selectivity arises from the structural and electronic attributes of the NHC ligands and the alkyne substrates. Consistent with suggested hypotheses, catalytic reactions with a Cu complex, derived from an N-adamantyl-substituted imidazolinium salt, afford high β selectivity with the same class of substrates and under similar conditions.

Sustainable, efficient, selective: A three‐component, single‐vessel Cu‐catalyzed method for chemo‐, diastereo‐, and enantioselective conversion of B2(pin)2, monosubstituted allenes, and aldehydes or ketones to 2‐B(pin)‐substituted homoallylic alkoxides is described. Subsequent functionalization delivers valuable products in up to >98:2 d.r. and 97:3 e.r. (see scheme).

A Cu-catalyzed protocol for conversion of terminal alkynes to enantiomerically enriched diboronates is reported. In a single vessel, a site-selective hydroboration of an alkyne leads to the corresponding terminal vinylboronate, which undergoes a second site-selective and enantioselective hydroboration. Reactions proceed in the presence of two equivalents of commercially available bis(pinacolato)diboron [B2(pin)2] and 5–7.5 mol % of a chiral bidentate imidazolinium salt, affording diboronates in 60–93% yield and up to 97.5:2.5 enantiomeric ratio (er). The enantiomerically enriched products can be functionalized to afford an assortment of versatile organic molecules. Enynes are converted to unsaturated diboronates with high chemo- (>98% reaction of alkyne; <2% at alkene) and enantioselectivity (e.g., 94.5:5.5 er).

An exceptionally site- and E-selective catalytic method for preparation of Si-containing alkenes through protosilylation of terminal alkynes is presented. Furthermore, the vinylsilanes obtained are used as substrates to generate vicinal or geminal borosilanes by another catalytic process; such products are derived from enantioselective protoborations of the Si-substituted alkenes. All transformations are catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) copper complexes. Specifically, a commercially available imidazolinium salt, cheap CuCl (1.0 mol%) and Me(2)PhSi-B(pin), readily and inexpensively prepared in one vessel, are used to convert terminal alkynes to (E)-β-vinylsilanes efficiently (79-98% yield) and in >98% E and >98% β-selectivity. Vinylsilanes are converted to borosilanes with 5.0 mol% of a chiral NHC-Cu complex in 33-94% yield and up to 98.5:1.5 enantiomeric ratio (e.r.). Alkyl-substituted substrates afford vicinal borosilanes exclusively; aryl- and heteroaryl-substituted alkenes deliver the geminal isomers preferentially. Different classes of chiral NHCs give rise to high enantioselectivities in the two sets of transformations: C(1)-symmetric monodentate Cu complexes are most suitable for reactions of alkyl-containing vinylsilanes and bidentate sulfonate-bridged variants furnish the highest e.r. for substrates with an aryl substituent. Working models that account for the observed trends in selectivity are provided. Utility is demonstrated through application towards a formal enantioselective total synthesis of naturally occurring antibacterial agent bruguierol A.

There are countless biologically active organic molecules that contain one or more N-containing moieties and broadly applicable and efficient catalytic transformations that deliver them diastereo- and/or enantioselectively are much sought after. Various methods for enantioselective synthesis of α-secondary amines are available (e.g., from additions to protected/activated aldimines), but those involving ketimines are much less common. There are no reported additions of carbon-based nucleophiles to unprotected/unactivated (or N-H) ketimines. Here, we report a catalytic, diastereo- and enantioselective three-component strategy for merging an N-H ketimine, a monosubstituted allene and B2(pin)2, affording products in up to 95% yield, >98% diastereoselectivity and >99:1 enantiomeric ratio. Utility of the approach is highlighted by synthesis of the tricyclic core of a class of compounds that have been shown to possess anti-Alzheimer activity. Stereochemical models, developed with the aid of DFT calculations, which account for the observed trends and levels of enantioselectivity are presented.