Di- and polyboron (hetero)arenes, site-differentiated with MIDA boronyl (MIDA=N-methyliminodiacetic acid) and pinacolato boronyl (Bpin), were prepared by an iridium-catalyzed direct CH borylation of readily available (hetero)aryl MIDA boronates. The excellent synthetic uses of these multisite nucleophiles were demonstrated by the high-yield production of a variety of multifunctionalized poly(hetero)arenes with the highly chemoselective Suzuki-Miyaura coupling (SMC) of the Bpin moiety being an essential step.

This work demonstrates a simple yet effective method to significantly improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of highly efficient non-fullerene organic solar cells by mixing two electron transport materials. The new electron transport layer shows an energy level better aligned with the active layer and an improved morphology that could reduce the active layer–electrode contact. These improvements lead to enhanced charge extraction, better charge selectivity, suppressed exciton recombination, and finally a boosted PCE in the PM6:Y6-based solar cells. When applied in conjunction with the non-halogenated solvent-processed PM6:PY-IT-based active layer, the mixed ETL also gives rise to a leading result for binary all-polymer solar cells (PCE of >16%) with a concurrent increase in V OC, J SC, and FF.

A rapid and highly selective oxidative cross-coupling reaction between readily available and shelf-stable arylboronic acids and primary or secondary potassium alkyltrifluoroborates was devised and developed, which works under mild conditions using copper­(II) acetate as the catalyst and silver oxide as the oxidant. Initial experimental results indicate that a single-electron transmetalation process is involved. This approach effectively bypasses the problems associated with the traditional cross-coupling reactions of alkylboronates and thus provides a complementary method in building C­(sp2)–C­(sp3) bonds.

In the past decades, borylation reactions have received extensive research interest and have developed into effective tools in the synthesis of versatile organoboron compounds. Boranes and symmetrical diboron compounds are commonly utilized as borylating reagents in these transformations, especially in the borylation reactions of unsaturated bonds. More recently, several types of unsymmetrical diboron reagents have been synthesized and applied in these borylation reactions, allowing for complementary chemo- and regioselectivity. This review aimed to highlight the recent development in this rising research field, focusing on new reactivity and selectivity that originates from the use of these unsymmetrical diboron reagents.

No abstract