Reductive 1,2-diboration of alkynes has been accomplished by means of sodium dispersion in the presence of trimethoxyborane as a reduction-resistant boron electrophile. Two boron moieties can be introduced onto alkynes with excellent syn selectivity to afford the corresponding (Z)-1,2-diborylalkenes. Bis(borate) species generated in situ can be involved in one-pot Suzuki-Miyaura arylation, formal arylboration of alkynes thus being executed.

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A general method for alkali-metal-promoted reductive difunctionalization of alkenes has been developed by means of reduction-resistant alkoxy-substituted electrophiles. A series of 1,2-diboration and 1,2-dicarbofunctionalization products can be synthesized by employing trimethoxyborane and strained cyclic ethers such as oxirane and oxetane. In addition, unsymmetrical carbo-or thioborations have been accomplished via sequential treatment with trimethoxyborane and carbon or sulfur electrophiles.

Sodium dispersion promotes the reductive borylation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with MeOBpin. Anthracenes and phenanthrenes are converted to the corresponding dearomatized diborylated products. The reductive diborylation of naphthalene-based small π-systems yields similar yet unstable products that are oxidized into formal C–H borylation products with unique regioselectivity. Pyrene is converted to 1-borylpyrene without the addition of an oxidant. The latter two reactions represent a new route to useful borylated PAHs that rivals C–X borylation and catalytic C–H borylation.